Dear Patients,
We are writing to update you with some important information pertaining to uninsured services. As many of you know, OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) covers the costs of most of your medical needs, however, there are many services which are not covered by OHIP. These services require considerable time and resources to administer and the demand for these uninsured services has increased dramatically in the past several years. In the face of rising office expenses and government restrictions, and though we have provided these services free of charge in the past, sadly we are no longer able to do so.
Examples of these services include, but are not limited to:
Prescription Renewals Without a Visit – Starting July 1, 2024, we may begin charging a $30.00 fee for patients who choose to have prescription renewals done without an appointment. Prescription renewals done during a regular appointment will NOT have a charge. It is important to understand that each time a request is made by fax or phone without an office visit, the patient’s chart needs to be accessed, then reviewed by the physician, the necessary documentation is added to the medical file and the prescription needs to be sent to the pharmacy. Prescriptions written at the time of an office visit will be provided in quantities (with repeats as necessary) to provide the patient with enough medication to last until a follow-up appointment is medically necessary.
Referrals for Physiotherapy, Massage Therapy, Chiropractic, etc.
Insurance Forms
Legal Forms/Documents
Also starting on July 1, 2024 the office will be partnering with PatientSERV, the Ontario Medical Association’s partner in uninsured services management. PatientSERV allows patients to easily manage their uninsured services payments through an online platform and dedicated support team, which will help you cover the costs of uninsured services in a hassle-free and efficient manner.
Through PatientSERV, we will be offering two options for patients.
1. The PS365 Annual Fee Plan – A flat rate that covers the cost of prescription renewals without a visit, and many uninsured services for one year (see full list of services for more details).
2. Pay-As-You-Go – Simply pay for any uninsured services if and when you use them. This means no up-front fee and no registration required. In this case, any uninsured services you receive will be charged on a Pay-As-You-Go basis. Patients will receive invoices for uninsured services used and have the option of paying invoices online, by telephone, in-person (at the clinic) or via mail.
PAYMENT METHODS FOR PS365 ANNUAL FEE PLAN PURCHASE
1. Online: Visit https://patients.patientserv.ca/SignUp. You will require your health card number and your PIN.
2. Cheque Payment Via Mail: Complete the enclosed registration form and mail the form and cheque (payable to PatientSERV) using the postage-paid envelope.
3. Phone: Call 1-800-385-3210 Monday – Friday 8:30am - 4:00pm.
4. Office: You may pay in person at the doctor’s office using cash or cheque.
If you have any questions about uninsured services, please contact PatientSERV at 1-800-385-3210. Regardless of the choice you make, please be assured that it will have no bearing upon the medical care you receive as your healthcare is our top priority.
Thank you for placing your trust in us to provide you with the highest quality healthcare possible, which we hope to fulfill for many more years to come.
Warm Regards,
Dr. Phil Choptiany, Dr. Risa Freeman, Dr. Sidney Feldman,
Dr. Nicole Nathan, Dr. Jasmine Yu, Dr. Tiffany Ng
The North York Family Medicine Doctors Team