Premiere Healthcare Associates, LLC
Frequently Asked Questions
Did you know that...
Nurse practitioners (NPs)...
- Are advanced practice nurses who provide high quality health care services similar to those of physicians. Many NPs have doctoral degrees and almost all have master's degrees. Almost all NPs are certified in their specialty area and are nationally recognized as expert health care providers. The faith that patients have in NPs is shown by almost 600 million visits made to NPs each year.
- The video found on the Welcome page explains it wonderfully. However, if you prefer to just read, please see the text that follows.
- NPs specialize in many areas including primary care, internal medicine, acute care, adult health, family health, gerontology, pediatrics, women's health, oncology, mental health, and many other speciality areas.
- More information can be found at the websites of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners at www.aanp.org and at the American College of Nurse Practitioners at www.acnp.org.
An NP can become your PCP or primary care manager (PCM)...
- Yes, most certainly! A primary care provider (PCP), sometimes also known as a primary care manager (PCM) is your first contact for medical care. A PCP can be a nurse practitioner (NP) or a physician. It is important to have an established PCP whom you see for regular check-ups and illnesses. This fits with Premiere Healthcare Associates, LLC's philosophy of preventative health care.
- When you have a health care need, always call the office first. The emergency room and urgent care facilities should not be used for primary care needs.Your PCP is the best person to help you with your health care needs because we know you.
- If you are seen by another provider, an emergency room, or an urgent care office, please tell them that Premiere Healthcare Associates, LLC is your primary care office and ask them to send us your records so that should you need follow-up, or a referral to specialty care, we can assist you.
NPs have been providing health care services...
- In a variety of settings for over 45 years. The first NPs were educated at the University of Colorado in 1965. As of 2011, there are 135,000 practicing NPs. Close to 8,500 NPs are prepared each year at 325 colleges and universities.
NPs are licensed to practice...
- In all 50 states and the District of Columbia. NPs practice under the rules and regulations of the state in which we are licensed.
NPs practice...
- In rural, urban, and suburban settings. These settings include clinics, hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care settings, private physician or NP offices, nursing homes, schools, colleges, and public health departments, to name a few. In these settings, 96.5% of NPs prescribe medications, writing an average of 19 prescriptions/day.
NPs are cost effective providers...
- Very! NPs provide high quality, cost effective care. A research study comparing the cost of two common health problems found in primary care noted that the cost of care given by NPs was 20% less than the care provided by physicians.
NPs are different from physician assistants (PAs)...
- While NPs and PAs often perform similar functions, there are important distinctions between these two health care providers. NPs may work independently or in collaboration with a physician and must be a licensed registered nurse (RN) before being accepted into an accredited NP educational program.
- PAs are licensed to practice under the supervision of a physician. PAs are trained in accredited programs that use a medical model.
Prescriptions and Prescription Refills
Can Dr. G prescribe medications?
- Yes. Dr. G. has full prescriptive authority in Colorado. She is licensed to prescribe medications and controlled substances.
What are your policies regarding prescriptions and prescription refills?
- No prescriptions, including antibiotics and pain medications, will be dispensed by this office until a patient has been seen by this office.
- Prescription refills are handled during our posted office hours only. Prescriptions are not refilled on weekends.
- No walk in appointments for prescription refills will be accommodated.
- If you need to change the type of medication you are taking an appointment with Dr. G. is necessary.
- If you loose or misuse a prescription we will not authorize a refill without an appointment.
- We are not responsible for getting your mail-in prescriptions to your mail-in pharmacy.
Are you using electronic prescribing?
- Yes. Our office will forward new and refilled prescriptions electronically to your pharmacy.
Does Premiere Healthcare Associates, LLC offer pain management care?
- We will assist in providing care to those in need of pain management. All pain management treatment strategies follow current standards of care and the policies and procedures established by Premiere Healthcare Associates, LLC which include, but are not limited to signing a medication agreement , to a requirement to seek counseling, to random drug testing. Contact the office if you have questions regarding the standards, policies, and procedures.
Does Premiere Healthcare Associates, LLC prescribe medical marijuana?
- No. It is important, however, to tell us if you are using marijuana or other street drugs because of the possible interactions with other drugs, over-the-counter products, and foods.
This page was last updated: May 8, 2012
Insurance Questions
Does Premiere Healthcare Associates, LLC accept insurance plans?
- Premiere Healthcare Associates, LLC provides health care at an affordable rate; however, we have requested preferred provider status with many insurance companies.
- Most patients find that their out of pocket expenses are close to the amount they would otherwise spend on a co-pay or co-insurance. As a service to you, we will file your insurance claim once you agree to have the insurance company pay us directly.
Will my insurance company reimburse me for my visit?
- Most insurance companies will reimburse you for your visit, however, this is not always the case. We recommend you contact your insurance company for specific information regarding reimbursement.
Can I use my flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) at Premiere Healthcare Associates?
- Of course! We will provide you with the documentation needed to request reimbursement from your account.
Does Premiere Healthcare Associates arrange a referral to specialists if I need one?
- Yes. In today's health care system, no one provider works alone. We work closely with other health care providers in the area, and refer you for more complex and specialized care when necessary.
If I can't come to the office because I am home-bound or disabled, or if I have to move to a nursing home or assisted living facility, will Dr. G. travel to see me?
- Yes, in most cases. Please discuss your needs with Dr. G.
What hospitals does Dr. G. use?
- Should you need to be admitted to a hospital arise, Dr. G. will coordinate your care with the hospital of your choice. She makes courtesy visits to the hospital to see her patients.
303-462-0585
Laboratories and Tests
Will my insurance company cover the cost of lab tests?
- Because of the rising cost of medical care, some insurers are changing their policies regarding payment for laboratory tests. Simply speaking, lab tests are of two types: diagnostic tests and screening tests.
- Diagnostic tests. Diagnostic tests are ordered when signs or symptoms of a specific problem are identified in the course of monitoring the treatment of disease or injury. Even when a test is ordered to monitor a disease, some insurers place a limit on how often the test can be done and have it covered by insurance. If a test must be performed more often than your insurer allows and you choose to follow our advice, you will be responsible for paying for the test.
- Screening tests. Screening tests are usually ordered as part of a checkup or annual exam and are designed to assess your state of health. Examples include some types of bloodwork, such as complete blood counts; cholesterol panels; A1c; prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. Again, some insurers place a limit on the number of times they will pay for a specific test. If you choose to have the test regardless of the insurer's policy, will be responsible for paying for the the test.
How long does it take to get my blood test results back?
- We feel it is important for you to get test results back in a timely manner. At many large practices this is difficult. However, we are a personalized practice and want every patient to be our priority. Usually our health care providers will notify you of your lab results and their significance within 24 to 36 hours. Some labs may take longer but we will notify you if that is the case.
What laboratories do you use for blood tests?
- Blood tests are processed by Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp. For patients enrolled in our Membership Program we offer a significant discount for laboratory testing. Sometimes the discount is as much as 30% of the stated laboratory charge.
Do you do X-rays?
- No. We do not have x-ray equipment in the office. We refer patients to nearby imaging centers such as Touchstone Imaging.
Our Office Hours
MTWF 9-5 pm
Thurs 1-5 pm
Weekends, After Hours,
& Home, or Work Site
Visits by Appointment
Walk-ins Welcome
