I would like to ask Dr Cardoso some quick questions, do I have to come in?
No. You can book a telephonic or virtual (i.e. ZOOM) consultation online where you will have access to Dr Cardoso’s diary and see when she is free to take calls. Dispensing medical advice may come at a fee for the doctor’s time and expertise, see next question.
Do you charge for calls & virtual consultations?
Yes, as a private medical service we bill for the doctor’s time and expertise whether that be face-to-face or electronic/telephonic. We have found that it takes just as much time, if not longer, administratively and clinically to arrange this appointment for you as it would a traditional face-to-face consultation. We try charge your medical insurance’s rates for these services and have a private rate for those paying independently. For consultations under 15 min our private rate is R350.00 and pro rata thereafter. Your medical insurance’s rate for this service may differ. This fee does not include any additional paperwork the doctor may be required to arrange for you like prescriptions, referrals, reports or other applications.
I thought you ‘submit to medical aid’, why have I received a bill after my appointment?
Dr Cardoso is not contracted to any medical insurance. However, to provide our patients with affordable and accessible medical care, we do attempt to assist our patients by claiming payments from your medical insurers and charging their rates where possible. It can take a couple of months for them to pay your account so if you have received an account it is because your funder has declined to pay despite much negotiation and long phones calls from our side. There are various reasons for this e.g. you may be out of savings or day-to-day benefits; your insurance has been suspended; or the procedure and some of the consumables used aren’t covered by your plan etc. Although we try help you with this submission, the liability for payment is ultimately the responsibility of the patient and we request you settle your account immediately and take the matter up with your funder independently.
Please note our practice policy with regards to fee structure and payments in section 8 and 9 of our practice’s Ts&Cs here.
Tests: (x-rays, bloods etc)
How do I get the results of my tests?
Please book a follow up appointment to see the doctor if you have had any tests done.
I had some tests done with Dr Cardoso and now I have received a separate bill from another company. Is this correct?
Yes. Blood tests and other samples are sent to pathology laboratories which are separate companies to your GP or specialist. Here, specialist doctors called pathologists and microbiologists perform the investigations on the samples they have received. For example, your GP collects the pap smear sample, the pathologist will look under the microscope and let the GP know if there are any abnormal or cancerous cell. The pathologist will then send you their bill for the work they have done.
It is very hard for your GP to tell exactly how much your pathology bill will cost. We have ball-park figures but it depends on the samples. The labs also frequently update their prIce lists. Please ask your GP for an idea on the price or call the lab to get the exact cost.
The same principle applies for X-Rays and scans. Here specialist doctors called radiologists look at your x-ray and send a report to your GP, they will also bill you separately for this.