Yes we do provide Urgent Care. We currently have Walk-In Hours from 8am to 5:30pm every weekday (Monday through Friday). We always maintain an open schedule to allow for Same Day appointments in case you miss our Walk In Hours. We encourage you to come in if you feel ill. We will evaluate you and order the appropriate tests or treatment for you. We are able to provide many urgent care needs, such as:

• Breathing treatments if you are short of breath or coughing
• Intravenous (IV) Fluids if you are dehydrated
• Injections if you are vomiting or have a bacterial infection
• Stitches for deep cuts or lacerations
• Joint injections for painful joints

Yes, we always maintain an open schedule in order to allow for visits on the same day that you call. Please call as soon as you can, so we can get you added to the schedule.

Yes, we are currently accepting new patients. We try get new patients in on the same day that you call, especially if you are sick. Call 512-443-9355 to schedule an appointment.

a. We accept most health insurance plans, including Blue Cross / Blue Shield, Aetna, Humana, United Health, Tricare, and Medicare. If your insurance company was not listed, please call our office. Our staff would be glad to let you know if we accept your insurance (512-443-9355)

b. We are not accepting patients with Medicaid at this time.

Simply call our office at 443-WELL (512-443-9355), and the staff will assist you with setting up an appointment.

a. We are currently working with insurance companies to get all Obamacare plans accepted. However, we are in the discussion phase with the insurance companies. We are waiting on the individual insurance companies that carry Obamacare plans to give us the details of the plan.

b. Currently, we are accepting Obamacare plans with Blue Cross / Blue Shield. We are still waiting for other insurance companies to communicate with us before we can accept other plans.

Yes, we accept cash paying patients without insurance. You are expected to pay for the office visit before each visit. If you need further studies (blood work, X-Rays, etc), you will be expected to pay for those after your visit with your healthcare provider.

a. We do accept credit cards as a method of payment. We accept all credit cards except American Express. b. We accept cash, checks, and credit cards. c. We do not accept Care Credit from Aesthetica Med Spa.

Please go to our page dedicated to this topic HERE

a. A prior authorization is additional paperwork that is required by your insurance company before they will cover your prescription medication. It is often required on medications that are expensive or new.

b. If you get a prior authorization notice from the pharmacy, it may be a good idea to contact (or go online) your insurance company in order to find out which medications they prefer. Sometimes the insurance company will cover a related medication without a prior authorization. However, you should know that your healthcare provider chose the medication based on which medication they thought would work best for you. A similar or related medication may not have the same benefits as the one your insurance company prefers without a prior authorization.

Your healthcare provider prescribed the medication that would work best for your condition or problem. It is impossible for your healthcare provider to know which medications will require prior authorizations because each insurance company has different requirements, and they are constantly changing the medications on the list.

a. Yes, all of our providers are comfortable doing PAP Smears, breast exams, and well woman exams. If you feel more comfortable with a female provider, you should request one when you make your appointment. We will happily set up an appointment with one of our female providers HERE. b. If your PAP Smear is abnormal, we can provide you with further testing in our office without referring you somewhere else.

a. We offer many of the same services that Gynecologists provide:

• Cervical Cancer Screening - PAP smears
• Abnormal PAP Smear Testing – Colposcopy and Endocervical curettage
• Abnormal Bleeding - Endometrial Biopsy
• Birth Control Counseling

b. Which birth control methods do you offer? We offer many birth control options: 1. Hormone pills

• Combination (or OCP)
• Mini-Pill

2. Hormone patches 3. NuvaRing 4. Depo-Provera (injections every 3 months) 5. Implanon or Nexplanon (small rod implanted in upper arm) 6. Mirena or IUD (Implantable Uterine Device) At this time, we do NOT offer: 1. Cervical Diaphragm sizing 2. Permanent sterilization (tubal ligation) 3. Vasectomy

1. If you think you are pregnant, please feel free to make an appointment. We will do a confirmatory pregnancy test, and we will spend time counseling you on the important topics. We will then refer you to any obstetrician (OB) of your choice, or if you do not have a preference, we can refer you to one of the obstetricians that we have had great experiences with.
2. If you get sick, we can still care for you while you are pregnant, but you will want your prenatal care to be done by an obstetrician since we cannot deliver your baby. We are able to fully care for you after you have your baby (post-partum) and even while breastfeeding.

We offer many procedures in our office as an outpatient (without being hospitalized), and we are constantly learning new procedures in order to provide our patients with the most comprehensive medicine possible. Please visit our procedures page to learn more HERE.

If there is a procedure that you wish to get done, please let us know. We are always willing to learn new procedures – especially if our patients request it!

Yes, we encourage all of our patients to come in for yearly physicals. Well visits are vital to your health. These visits are important because the entire visit is spent discussing preventive healthcare. We perform a detailed family history analysis to determine if you require special screening tests at an earlier age than other patients without family history. We also review your record to make sure you are up-to-date on your:
Cancer Screening (PAP Smear, Colonoscopy, Mammogram, Prostate exam, etc)
Cardiovascular Risk Reduction (EKG, Stress testing, Carotid thickness testing)
Blood work (Electrolytes, Kidney function, Blood count, Thyroid function, Cholesterol levels)
Of note, we do extensive blood work analysis at Austin Family Medicine Associates that includes even more than the usual doctors’ offices. It includes DNA testing, Vitamin testing, Blood sugar metabolism, Omega-3 levels, etc. Please see our dedicated page to this topic HERE (coming soon).
Immunizations / Vaccines (Shingles, Tetanus, Pneumonia, Pertussis, etc)
Bone Density Evaluation and Treatment (DEXA scanning, Osteoporosis)
Sleep Disorder and Fatigue Questionnaire
Complete physical exam to evaluate for asymptomatic problems
Complete review of systems to evaluate all bodily functions

Yes, all of our providers are comfortable performing Department of Transportation physicals.

a. No, we do not have X-ray, CT scan, or MRI capability at our office. We will give you orders for your imaging studies, and we will direct you to the nearest facilities. You are also welcome to go to the facility of your choice.

b. At this time, we only have access to Austin Radiological Association’s (ARA) files. If you get your imaging studies done there, we can view your images in the office and show them to you. We will continue to seek access to other Radiology companies in the area.

Yes, we contract with a company that uses our rooms to perform ultrasounds for our patients. These can usually be arranged within 1-2 weeks, and their technicians are excellent.

Yes, we treat a wide variety of sports injuries and musculoskeletal complaints. We are able to evaluate and treat your injury or chronic joint pain. We will determine the necessary steps to get you back to your sport or activity as soon as possible.

Yes, we offer several weight loss programs to our patients. For full details, please see our weight loss page HERE.

a. Yes, we are Family Medicine physicians who are trained in caring for pediatric patients. We accept children 4 years old and older. We are willing to evaluate children younger than 4 years old for acute illnesses, but we are not equipped as well as Pediatric offices for younger children. We can do well child checks starting at age 4.

b. We can also do Sports Physicals, School Physicals, and other paperwork needed for your pediatric patient.

At Austin Family Medicine, we are very skilled at treating a wide variety of conditions, and we will do our best to keep all of your care at our office. If your condition needs a specialist, our office staff will facilitate a referral to the appropriate provider. It generally takes our staff 1-2 weeks to get the referral completed. Our staff will call you when the referral is complete.

Yes! We welcome new patients, so if you refer any friends or family to our practice, we will reward you with a $5 gift card after that person has their first office visit.

• Most likely this “bill” is not actually a bill. It is called an EOB or Explanation Of Benefits. An EOB is a statement from your health insurance provider that details recent health care charges and plan benefit payments. You will receive an EOB when a laboratory (Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Boston Heart, SpectraCell, etc) submits a claim to your insurance provider for laboratory services rendered. You can tell the difference between a true bill and an EOB by looking for the phrase, “THIS IS NOT A BILL.” Even though the letter may say, “Patient owes $,” it is not a bill that you have to pay. Before you pay a “bill” from a test that we ordered, please make sure to call the number on the bill or our office to make sure you actually owe the money. It is very difficult to get a refund. It is better to pay a bill late rather than try to get your money back. •• Contact Numbers for Laboratories that we frequently use:

1. 1. Health Diagnostics Laboratory: 1-877-4HDLABS (443-5227)
2. 2. Boston Heart Diagnostics: 508-877-8711 (option 5) or billing@bostonheartdx.com
3. 3. SpectraCell Laboratories: 1-800-227-5227

••• This EOB is usually for the advanced cholesterol panel which we call the “HDL Panel.” The HDL acronym stands for the lab where the blood work is sent (Health Diagnostics Laboratory). This should not be confused with your good cholesterol level (HDL = High Density Lipoprotein).

• Currently, there are two different degrees for physicians in America. There is a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) and Medical Doctorate (MD). These abbreviations represent which degree a physician achieved. The training for the two different degrees is nearly identical. Both types of physicians must go through 4 years of medical school as well as 3 or more years of residency in their specialty. The Doctors of Osteopathy do extra training on the skeletal system, and they are taught how to do special maneuvers and manipulations of the body.

•• Dr. David Sneed is a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), and Dr. Philip Oubre has a Medical Doctorate (MD). Each physician has their own special interests and advanced knowledge. It will benefit you to read about their interests before making an appointment to decide which physician fits your personality the best HERE.

A physician assistant (PA) is a medical professional who works as part of a team with a doctor. All physician assistants are graduates of an accredited program. They are also nationally and state licensed to practice medicine with the supervision of a physician.

Physician assistant’s abilities are very similar to a physician’s abilities. A supervising physician is always available for contact to discuss a case or review a report. Physician assistants can perform physical examinations, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret lab tests, perform procedures, assist in surgery, provide patient education and counseling. They can write prescriptions, including controlled substance prescriptions.

The physician assistant educational program is similar to medical school curriculum. Physician assistants have college course requirements similar to medical students. The physician assistant training begins with classroom training then proceeds to clinical rotations. It is rigorous and intense. Most programs average 27 months in duration. Training continues as they work with the physicians that hire them. Physician assistants complete more than 2,000 hours of clinical rotations with an emphasis on primary care. Rotations include family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, general surgery, emergency medicine and psychiatry. Similar to physicians, physician assistants participate in lifelong learning. In order to maintain national certification, a physician assistant must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years.

Nurse practitioners (NP) are very similar to physician assistants (PA). Their training is different since nurse practitioners first get their Registered Nursing degree before proceeding to nurse practitioner education. They are trained in diagnosis and management of acute and chronic medical conditions. They provide some of the same care provided by physicians and maintain close working relationships with physicians. Nurse practitioners make prevention, wellness, and patient education priorities. Nurse practitioners can prescribe medications, including controlled substances in all 50 states.

Physician extender is an umbrella term that includes physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Physician extenders work in tandem with the physician to allow more availability for patients to be seen urgently. They often have more time to spend with patients than physicians.

• By design, physicians and physician extenders (physician assistants and nurse practitioners) work together as a team. All physician extenders practice medicine with physician supervision. The supervising physician does not always need to see the patient, but the physician extender always has the opportunity to discuss patient care with the physician. If you would like to see the physician extender, you can certainly request to be seen by him or her. Physician extenders deliver high-quality care and research shows that patients are just as satisfied with their care as they are with physician care.

•• Meet our physician extenders on our website HERE.

••• Each healthcare provider at Austin Family Medicine Associates has their own special interests and advanced knowledge on topics. You should read about each provider on our webpage in order to decide which provider fits your personality the best.

At Austin Family Medicine Associates, we carry high-quality vitamins and nutritional supplements that we prefer. Remember that not all vitamins and supplements are created equal. They need to be prepared correctly for your body to absorb them. Some vitamins, like fish oil, can go rancid if stored in warehouses at high temperatures. A recent study showed that many over-the-counter vitamins do not even contain the active ingredient on the label! It is important to make sure you buy quality supplements because you never know what you may actually be taking if you buy low quality or cheap supplements. The vitamins and supplements that we carry are excellent quality. We did the research for you, and we found high quality suppliers. There is no need to shop around for supplements if we carry them on our shelf.

If you would like to purchase any of our supplements, simply ask at the front desk, and our staff would be glad to help you. Please visit our supplement list if you are interested in knowing the cost. HERE

No. You are never too old to begin therapy. It is true that you get more benefit if you start therapy early into menopause, but you can still get many of the benefits in your more mature years

1. How much do the office visits cost?
• We will bill through your insurance, so your cost should be similar to a regular doctor’s visit. You do not have to pay out of pocket for these visits. Since every insurance plan is different, we cannot guarantee that your office visits will be covered, but we do not usually have problems getting them covered.
•• If you are self pay (no insurance), you can call our office to discuss cost.

2. How much do the Bioidentical hormones cost since they have to be compounded?
• We work closely with pharmacies to ensure you get the best pricing. You can take your prescription and shop around for the best price, or we can send it to one of the pharmacies that our patients frequently use. The prices vary depending on the compound, number of ingredients, and dosage. Depending on your insurance, the price per 3 month compound can range from $40 to $120.

3. How often do I need to be evaluated?
• When you are initially getting started on Bioidentical Hormone Replacement, you will need to be seen frequently (likely ever 2 months) until your levels and symptoms have improved. After you have are stable on a hormone regimen, we ask to see our patients every 6 months on an ongoing basis to assess levels and symptoms. Your body’s needs are constantly changing, so returning to the office every 6 months allows us to assess these changes and tweak the compounds to fit your lifestyle.

4. How much does the blood work cost?
• We will bill your labs through your insurance, so your cost should be similar to a regular blood work. We will try to warn you before we draw a lab that we know is not covered. You should not have to pay out of pocket for blood work. Since every insurance plan is different, we cannot guarantee that your lab work will be covered, but we do not usually have problems getting them covered.

5. Do I need to be fasting for hormone levels?
• No, you never need to be fasting for hormone levels. The levels can be drawn at any time of the day.

6.Where do I find more information on Bioidentical Hormone Replacement?
• Please go to our website dedicated to this topic HERE.

Please contact our Website administrator or Office Staff, so we can have this question and answer readily available to other patients.