Fertility
Is infertility common?According to the American Pregnancy Association, approximately 10 percent of American couples of childbearing age struggle with infertility, and 25 percent have more than one infertility problem. Infertility rates can be difficult to determine, due to the presence of both male and female factors, but it is a condition that many Americans of different childbearing years face.
Cancer and cancer treatments can significantly affect fertility and the body’s hormone system. If you or your partner is diagnosed with cancer and have to undergo cancer treatments, you can opt for egg preservation methods much the same way you would to normally plan for a later pregnancy. Our fertility preservation options, including egg vitrification, can be effectively employed prior to chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. Our procedures frequently work even if the patient doesn’t come in until after cancer treatments have started. Men undergoing surgery or cancer treatment also have fertility preservation options, including sperm banking, testicular tissue freezing and testicular sperm extraction.
We partner with an exclusive egg bank and five sperm donor banks that can help you find the right donor. We can also help you find gestational carriers and surrogates. We partner with the following donor organizations:
Billing & Payments
Can I make a credit card payment over the phone or online?Yes! You don’t have to send your card information through the mail. You can visit our secure patient portal and pay online, or you can call (844) 318-9921 and follow the automated system instructions to pay your balance.
Yes, we do accept credit and debit cards. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. We also accept Flex and HSA cards.
Yes. If you call your provider’s office, there may be discounts available for paying in full at the time of service.
Most laboratory charges are billed separately from your physician appointment. If you have questions about your laboratory bill, please call the laboratory directly using the phone number listed on the bill.
Any bills after April 1st can be paid through our secure patient portal. You can also make an online payment for any bill dated prior to April 1, 2019. You can also call the number on your bill to speak with someone about payment.
You can login to Follow My Health conveniently on the patient portal page.
Contact Information
Can I email a medical question directly to my physician’s office?Your provider can be contacted through the patient portal.
If you have an emergency, call 911. You may call Medlink, our telephone answering service at (512) 323-5465. We do not refill prescriptions outside of normal business hours, but you may submit a request after hours through the patient portal.
Our patient records are kept in electronic medical records (EMR). When a patient calls our office to speak to a physician or nurse, we need to pull their record, so the physician or nurse can respond to your needs in an efficient and effective manner.
The choice of a physician is completely up to you. Information on each of our physicians is found on our website and can assist you in choosing a physician that meets your needs.
Insurance
I have no insurance. How much will my visit cost and when am I expected to pay?If you call your provider’s office prior to your visit and let them know why you are coming in, they can ESTIMATE the cost of your visit. We cannot guarantee any fees until after you have had your appointment. Payment is expected at the time of service.
HMO and PPO plans generally have provider books or lists that show you which doctors are in-network for your plan (meaning which doctors have contracts with your insurance plan). By choosing a provider from your insurance list, you will obtain the highest benefit your policy offers. If you choose to see an out-of-network physician (one that does not appear on their list), generally the benefit is less (maybe none), meaning higher patient financial responsibility. Every insurance plan is different, so we encourage you to check your insurance before your appointment.
You should contact your insurance company with information on your exact service date. If you are told the claim will be reprocessed, please ask how long it will take and then advise us of the information by calling (844) 318-9921.
Often times, an insurance company will update their records on an annual basis. This includes verifying that you and/or your dependents are covered under just one health plan. This information can be updated only by the insured, not us. If we submit a claim and it is denied for this reason, your statement will reflect that additional information is needed from you. You will then need to call your insurance company and answer their questions over the phone. You will also need to advise them to reprocess any claims they have denied for this reason. We will continue to bill you for these services until your insurance company has processed your charges.
A contracted fee is a term used by an insurance company to refer to a dollar amount that a physician can collect for a specific service. This amount has been agreed upon by the insurance company and the physician. For example, we may bill $50.00 for a particular procedure, but a particular insurance company has contracted a fee of $40.00. This means that $10.00 is “not allowed” and therefore not collectible; the maximum amount we can collect is $40.00.
This is the balance your insurance deems is your responsibility per your insurance contract.
- Deductibles are paid by the member and must be satisfied each year before insurance pays. Each family member usually has a separate deductible.
- Co-Payments are paid by the member each time you visit the doctor or use any medical service.
- Co-insurance requires you to pay a percentage of your visit fee.
- Maximum out of pocket expense is the most you will have to pay before your insurance begins to pay 100%
An OB Deposit is the amount estimated to be “your portion” of your maternity care with our office. It is paid at the beginning of the pregnancy and held as a deposit until the delivery and any other claims are paid. At that time, the deposit is applied to your remaining balance (according to your insurance company), and then you will either be refunded or billed the difference. A Surgery Deposit is the amount estimated to be “your portion” of an upcoming surgical procedure. It is paid prior to surgery and held until your surgery claim has been paid. The deposit is then applied to the remaining balance (according to your insurance company), and then you will either be refunded or billed the difference.
The OB GLOBAL FEE is the anticipated cost you will incur for routine OB visits, physician’s delivery, and one post-partum visit. Multiple births and high-risk pregnancies may require extra visits. This may result in additional prenatal charges.
Charges NOT included in the OB Global Fee include:
- Initial OB office visit charge
- Ultrasounds
- Biophysical Profiles, Genetic testing including: Genetic Consultation, CVS, Amniocentesis
- Fetal Non-Stress Tests
- Any Laboratory Tests or Medications
- Newborn Circumcision, Cord Blood Collection
- ER visits, Hospital Stay fees, Anesthesiology fees, Newborn fees and labs. Please contact the hospital’s Preadmissions Office directly for questions concerning these charges.
- Surgical Assistant charges if you have a cesarean section
Please contact your insurance company and verify that your newborn has been added to your policy. You can then discuss further insurance questions at that time. If you have enrolled the baby on a plan other that the plan associated with your account, you will need to call our office with that information.
If you have questions that are not answered here please call (844) 318-9921.
Women’s Health Texas practices accept most insurance plans offered in Texas. We recommend calling your provider’s office prior to your visit for more information.
Please be sure to bring your insurance information to every appointment for verification.
Providers
Are your physicians board certified?Yes, our physicians are board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). This means that they have ongoing written examinations and educational credits in their field. The intent of the certification is to provide assurance to the public that those certified by the board have successfully completed an approved training program and an evaluation process assessing their ability to provide quality patient care in the specialty. You can visit the ABOG website here.
We offer the services of Nurse Practitioners to improve our ability to deliver individualized and personal care to all our patients. They each hold state and/or national certifications in their field. They are specialized in women’s health care and are able to provide all aspects of care, including prenatal care, annual exams, minor office procedures, as well as co-management of chronic or acute medical problems. They can write prescriptions. They do not attend deliveries or perform surgical procedures.