FAQs

Before Your Visit

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING TO MY APPOINTMENT?
  1. Your completed patient paperwork — which can be downloaded here
  2. A copy of the disc(s) from your most recent MRI, and
  3. A driver if you are having a procedure. If you are having a procedure, you WILL NOT be allowed to drive yourself home. Many patients feel relief from the procedure within a few minutes, but this does not mean you are okay to operate a vehicle! Residual numbness and mild sedative effects can be present, and it is dangerous to operate a vehicle immediately after ANY medical procedure. If you come to your appointment without a driver, we will have to reschedule your procedure.
HOW DO I GET A REFERRAL FROM MY DOCTOR?

Many times our patients are referred to us by their doctor or surgeon. If you have decided independently to seek care with us, your first step should be to speak with your primary care physician (PCP) or surgeon about your options. If they are in agreement and you wish to proceed, your provider can contact us at (316) 733-9393 for more information. They can also visit our providers page.

WHAT INSURANCE PLANS DO YOU ACCEPT?

We are in-network with almost all major carriers, and we accept Medicare Advantage Plans, Tricare/Triwest, United Healthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Surgery Plus and some small commercial insurances will require prior authorization before treatment can be provided. All patients must have a consult before we can submit for authorization.

HOW DO I GET PRIOR AUTHORIZATION FROM MY INSURANCE?
Insurance typically requires that we submit clinical information about the history of your condition along with a copy of your MRI report and a request to perform a specific procedure. Often, conservative treatment is required before authorization for injections will be approved. Conservative treatment usually includes use of NSAIDS with no improvement along with failed physical therapy, or chiropractic manipulations with no significant improvement in painful symptoms.
ARE THERE ANY UP-FRONT COSTS?
If you:

are a self-pay patient (no insurance)
have ever had a collection balance with us
have an insurance deductible that has not been met have a surgery center co-pay
you will be required to pay those costs up front at the time of service. Typically we will notify you before your appointment of any upfront costs. We accept Visa, Mastercard, any HRA funding cards with the Visa or Mastercard logo, Check, Money Order, and cash.

Billing

WHY DID I RECEIVE TWO DIFFERENT BILLS FROM YOUR FACILITY?
Pain Management Associates and Midwest Surgery Center are two separate entities. Your bill from Pain Management Associates will reflect the physician charges, while the bill for Midwest Surgery Center shows the charges for the facility.
CAN I PAY BOTH BILLS WITH ONE PAYMENT?
No, the payments must be separate. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we are unable to make exceptions.
HOW DO I PAY MY BILL?

You can call and pay with a credit card over the phone at any time during business hours, or you can wait to receive your bill in the mail and send payment by check or money order. You may also pay using our online patient portal located here.

Misc

WHAT IF I WAS INJURED AT WORK?
A report MUST be filed with Workers Compensation. If you have an open Workers Compensation claim, the doctor in charge of your medical care must refer you for treatment and the procedure will be approved through your adjuster. We will need your case information, your adjuster’s name and contact information, your date of injury, and information on where/with whom claims should be filed. If you were injured at work, but your Work Comp claim was DENIED, we will need a copy of your denial letter to submit with your health insurance claims.
WHAT IF I WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT?

If you are in an auto accident and have Auto Insurance benefit coverage, we will file claims with YOUR AUTO INSURANCE ONLY. We CANNOT file claims to the other party’s insurance, even if they have agreed to pay your bills. You must file those claims yourself for reimbursement. We also cannot accept settlement arrangements as an agreement for payment. You must pay up front and the settlement will reimburse your expenses. If you do not have health insurance secondary to your auto insurance, you must pay all costs up front and file for reimbursement with your auto insurance company.

PLEASE NOTE: Even though your Personal Injury Protection and Medical benefits may be being paid by your auto policy, we may have to file the claims with your health insurance company as well. This requires us to obtain any prior authorization, and up front payments for deductibles or copays at the time of service, even if your Auto Insurance benefits have not been exhausted.

HOW CAN I CONTACT YOUR OFFICE?

You can contact us by phone from 7:45am – 4:30pm Monday through Friday at (316) 733-9393 or (316) 683-3937, you can email us via the Contact page, or you can send written correspondence to:

SpineMed Specialists
825 N Hillside
Wichita, KS 67214

HOW DO I GET A COPY OF MY MEDICAL RECORDS?
We will need you to sign a records release form specifically releasing the records to another doctor, lawyer, or to yourself or a family member. Payment may be required. Please contact us at (316) 733-9393 for further information.
WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PHYSICIANS?

You can review our doctors educational and professional background as well as their published research articles on their individual provider pages!