What is a referral?
A referral is authorization from the patient’s Primary Care Physician (PCP) for the patient to see a specialist. A PCP is a Family Doctor, Internist, or Pediatrician.
How do I know if I need a referral?
You only need a referral if your insurance company requires you to have one. The best way to know for sure is to contact your insurance company. The phone number is on your insurance card. Some insurance cards state on the card whether or not you need a referral. If you are not sure, contact your insurance company before your appointment.
How do I get a referral?
You need to contact your PCP and tell them that you need a referral for your visit.
How does my referral get from my PCP to the specialist?
You can have your PCP fax the referral to (804) 272-6900, but the best way to be sure that we get it is to pick it up from your PCP’s office and bring it with you to your appointment. That way you eliminate the chance of it not being here when you arrive.
What happens if I don't have a referral the day of my appointment?
Unfortunately, if your insurance company requires a referral and you don’t have one, they will not pay the claim for your visit and you will be responsible for the bill at the time of service. Therefore, we can not see the patient without a referral.
Do I have to get a referral every time that I see the specialist?
Each referral has an expiration date. If you need to come back to the specialist after the expiration date has past, you need another referral from your PCP. Also, some referrals have a limited number of visits allowed. For example the referral may be good for 1 year, but only allow 3 visits; therefore, if you need to see the specialist a 4th time, you will need another referral from your PCP.
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