Patient Portal & Paperwork

Q: Are these documents legally required? 

A: Most are, yes. Patient Intake & Health History and No-Show & Cancellation Policy forms are practice requirements, rather than legal requirements. Legally, we may be unable to proceed with a visit if we do not have legal authorization to do so via signed consent to treat, consent to bill for services, and consent to use and disclose private health information (PHI). In practice, we will prioritize gathering legally required documents so we can get you seen and gather practice documents later if needed. 

Q: What is a Release of Information (ROI)? What is an authorized user?

A: A release of information (ROI) is your legal authorization for us to disclose PHI to individuals or entities other than yourself. An authorized user is the individual(s) or entities you have authorized us to speak to on your behalf. 

Q: Do parents need an ROI?

A: Legal custodial guardians of minors do not require an ROI to discuss patient matters, however, parents or guardians must be named on the ROI after the patient's 18th birthday to continue speaking with SRMH on the patient's behalf. 

Q: Do I have the right to change or revoke any of these authorizations?

A: Yes. HIPAA protects your rights to control your PHI how you see fit. Authorizations can be changed or revoked at any time, otherwise, all authorizations expire 12 months from date of signature. 

Q: The Patient Intake & Health History form asks a lot of personal questions that I'm not sure I'm comfortable answering. What should I do?

A: Please only answer the questions that resonate, apply to you, or are comfortable for you to answer. The purpose of many of the question fields on the Intake & History form are there to make sure we maximize our chances of capturing data that may or may not be part of your intake with your provider. For example, the drug history section requests details on your past prescriptions. While your provider will discuss prior treatments, exact dates may not always be noted in your chart. However, insurance companies often require this information to approve new medications. Providing thorough details helps support staff advocate for coverage on your behalf if needed. This is just one example of how specific data requested on the forms may benefit your care, but please, only answer what feels comfortable and safe for you to share. 

Q: When am I required to fill out this paperwork?

A: When establishing as a new patient or 12 months from the date of the last signature on expiring forms. 

Q: Why do I have to provide a copy of my insurance card if I can provide you with the policy information over the phone?

A: Great question. Although your insurance coverage can be verified with only a couple of data points, your card itself contains an incredible amount of information about your policy that may or may not be needed at various points to facilitate your care. For example, RxBIN information may be required to submit a prior authorization for coverage of a medication on your behalf, and the back of your card may have specific instructions for claim submission that our billers must know prior to submission. It is the responsibility of the patient to provide all the insurance information we may need to process claims on your behalf, and providing the insurance card is the easiest and most efficient way to do so. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for concerns of how your information is used and shared. 

Q: Why do I have to provide a card on file?

A: A card on file is only a requirement for patients with an out-of-pocket responsibility for services rendered. This applies to patients with commercial insurance plans, and does not apply to patients with Idaho Medicaid. Payment is due at the time of service. As a telehealth-only practice, we require a card on file to ensure a smooth and timely billing process. Your information is securely stored and only used for authorized transactions. If you have any questions, please refer to our Financial Policy and/ or contact us today.