What is your cancellation policy?
In short, 24 hours notice for all changes please!
We understand that things pop up and do our best to find a solution when plans change; often times with 24 hr notice we can fill your spot with someone from our wait-list and/or our doctors can organize their day accordingly. Appointments cancelled within 24 hours will incur a late-cancellation fee of $50 or 50% of the appointment fee if you’re scheduled for a longer session or a new patient. If we do not hear from you at all, your appointment will be deemed a “No show” and may be charged up to the full cost of your appointment. All late-cancel/no show fees will be charged to your card on file on the same day, to help us both keep our accounts organized.
This policy applies to all late-cancellations, including sickness, so if you have been under the weather for the last few days or feel something “coming on” please make the call over whether you will keep your appointment or reach out to the office via email or phone with questions 24 hours in advance. Masks are effective and welcome anytime, especially if you are feeling “on the end” of something and would like to keep your appointment.
We continue to follow the CDC guidelines with regard to COVID-19. Please refer to the CDC website for current guidelines re: limiting the spread/exposure & masking, testing, etc.
Do you accept insurance?
INSURANCE: Making decisions around insurance is done in the same way all decisions are made at Nolan Sport & Family Chiropractic, with your best healthcare outcomes in mind. Unfortunately, many insurance companies “allowable rate” does not allow us enough together, or they restrict the services they will pay for, thus limiting our options for your treatment and care. Our goal is to do what will benefit you the most and help you reach your goals, whether that involves adjustments to the spine/extremities, targeted soft tissue release, movement pattern modification, neuromuscular activation, exercise, etc. We pride ourselves on having a diverse toolkit to access when you come in, and restricting that access feels like we aren’t able to do our best work and provide the best service/care that would best serve your healthcare needs.
Because of this, we are out of network for all private insurance plans. We do keep current with insurance/billing practices and can give you a detailed superbill that you can send in to your insurance carrier for reimbursement according to your plan’s allowances and policies. Although this does require you to send in the receipt, reimbursement via superbill removes our office as the intermediary between you and your insurance provider, which often results in the best reimbursement for you, provided you have out-of-network benefits. We accept FSA/HSA cards to assist with coverage of these costs.
MEDICARE: As of Jan. 2023, our office is a participating provider and we will direct bill medicare for the portion of the visit that they cover. Unfortunately, Medicare remains restrictive when it comes to chiropractic and only covers adjustments to the spine; no other areas of adjustment or services. To allow us to continue to practice holistically and provide comprehensive care to you, there will be a $65 non-covered services fee for office visits. Medicare will pay us directly for the rest of a “regular” office visit. Sadly, Medicare also does not cover exams, which results in a fee of $170 for the first office visit. Please email the office to see if we are currently accepting new Medicare patients.
MEDICAL: Unfortunately we are unable to accept MediCal, as their allowable rate is not conducive to maintaining a physical practice in the bay area.
KAISER: Kaiser insurance typically does not cover out of network services, however, we can give you a superbill to submit if you would like to try. If you are a Kaiser employee, we can work with your Herrington Benefits directly, or you can submit via superbill for the best reimbursement and to stretch the funds.
PI/MVA/MEDPAY: We are currently not accepting new MVA/PI (motor vehicle accident/personal injury) cases and do not take on leins. If you are an established patient and have been in an MVA, please make a note of this when booking online and/or contact our office with specific questions. Please book a “plus” session for your first visit after an MVA in order to accommodate additional time for the specific documentation and evaluation required.
How much does a visit cost?
Our goal is to provide comprehensive, effective care for our patients while keeping prices accessible and transparent. When you pay in full at the end of your appointment, it decreases our administrative costs significantly compared with billing an insurance company so we pass the savings on to you. Details on costs appointments can be found here. Costs are higher and vary when utilizing insurance due to contractual arrangements, imposed fee structures, and additional administrative time/fees and follow-up work required to track/receive payments.
Do I need a referral?
Chiropractors are “portal-of-entry” doctors, so no referral is necessary. Our education prepares us to assess and treat your symptoms, and also to properly diagnose their cause. If you do have a referral from another healthcare provider, please bring it with you. We love collaborating and working with other specialists to create the best outcomes for you.
Are x-rays Required?
We do not take films in our office, nor do we order x-rays on all patients - only those who have either been involved in significant trauma, such as a big collision in sports or a car accident, or have known conditions without recent imaging. In most cases we can get started without films and imaging may become necessary if treatment/recovery isn't progressing as anticipated. We can write you the requisition and have an established relationship with several imaging facilities in the East Bay who are conveniently located and in-network with most insurance plans, should imaging (x-ray, MRI, MSK Ultrasound, etc.) become necessary.
How many times will I need to come in?
Our treatment plans are as individual as the people for which they’re created. While one person may just need a couple of visits each year to tune up an old injury, others prefer to come in every month, or even every two weeks, because it keeps them feeling good, prevents flare ups, and keeps their performance on track. Everyone is different and we’re happy to help with your health goals in whatever way works for your lifestyle, time, and budget. Check out our article on frequency for more information.
Do you recommend orthotics?
There's been a lot of research on orthotics in the last few years and, while we don't think everyone needs to wear orthotics forever, they can be helpful in expediting recovery from certain injuries/pain. We like orthotics that allow the bones of the foot to move, encouraging the intrinsic muscles of the foot to be active, while still providing support for the structures. We have both pre-fabricated and custom-fit options. The pre-fabricated option tends to work well for most concerns and can be a good starting block for a custom fit, if required. Pre-fab's are also less expensive than the custom version, costing only $55 per pair. For certain situations and foot types a custom-fit orthoic is the way to go, so we do offer several options for “customs” to fit your needs (and feet!) best.