Surgery | Your Visit

Whether this is your first visit to Boston Children's, or one of many, we know hospital visits can be stressful for children and families. The following information can help you prepare.

Getting here

Please plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before to your appointment to verify your insurance, demographic information, and complete the registration process. This may include paying a co-payment if applicable. 

Getting through traffic and parking in the Longwood Medical Area can take extra time. Please take this into account when deciding what time to leave for your visit. Parking is available in the Boston Children's Parking Garage at a discounted rate with a validated ticket.

Check-in

Our office is in the Fegan Building, 3rd floor. If you haven’t already checked in through the MyChildren’s Patient Portal, you will need to check in at one of the two kiosk stations, located within the Department of General Surgery, when you arrive. 

Once you’ve checked in at the kiosk or through the patient portal, please see one of our team members at the front desk. They will finalize your check-in process by verifying your personal information and collecting the co-pay for your visit. 

A few days before your visit, we’ll send you an electronic copy of a history and physical form with questions about your child’s medical history. It is often helpful to complete this form before your visit. However, you can also fill it out in the waiting area after you’ve checked in. 

Your child's exam

A member of our team will escort you to an exam room where a clinical assistant may measure your child’s height, weight, temperature, and blood pressure. A nurse practitioner or physician assistant may review the completed history and physical form. Your child’s doctor will examine your child.

Follow-up

After the examination, your child’s doctor may ask you to stop at the checkout desk to schedule a follow-up visit. 

If you have questions or need assistance after your visit, please do not hesitate to call us at 617-355-7800.

• history and physical form

Necessary information for your appointment:

• your name, address, and telephone number
• name, address, and telephone number of the clinician who referred you to Boston Children’s
• completed history and physical form
• list of your child’s medications
• any relevant medical records, x-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, or other lab results from other facilities
• Social Security numbers for your child and the parent whose insurance coverage is being used 
• insurance information and insurance cards
• insurance referral (see "Referrals" below)
• co-payment

Optional items to make your visit more enjoyable:

• books to read while waiting (there are limited books and magazines in the waiting area)
• snacks
• formula, diapers, or a change of baby clothes

If you can’t make it to your visit, we ask that you call the office to cancel at least one business day (24 hours) in advance. We have a high demand for appointments, and this will allow other patients to use this time.

A referral is a form or number from your child's primary care physician approving your child's visit to the Department of Surgery. Referrals can vary in the number of visits they cover, the length of time that visits can be used, and the services covered.

We suggest that all patients follow the steps below to get the correct referral.

Referral process

• Step 1: Ask your insurance company if you need a referral. If you have an HMO plan, you will most likely need to get a referral from your primary care physician (PCP). If you have a PPO plan, you probably will not need a referral, as long as Boston Children’s is in your insurance company's network of providers. If you have an indemnity plan, you should not need a referral.
• Step 2: Speak with your pediatrician, PCP, referring doctor, or nurse practitioner about the need for a referral. Be sure to get medical approval for the referral before you schedule the appointment.
• Step 3: When you make an appointment with one of our specialists, be sure to ask for the specialist's provider ID number for your specific insurance. (Some insurance companies issue provider ID numbers, and some do not.) Having this number will allow you to more easily confirm whether that specialist is a member of your health insurance network. If they are not, you may be billed extra "out-of-network" costs.

CHMC Surgical Foundation Inc. currently bills for all office visits and procedures performed by the surgeons in the Department of General Surgery.

We are contracted with most insurance companies and therefore probably accept your insurance. However, the options and coverage for different plans vary considerably. We urge you to become familiar with your insurance plan to understand its rules and coverage. 

It is very important that you bring your child's insurance card with you each time you visit us. All insurance companies have specific billing instructions that are usually found on your insurance card. Presenting the actual card will reduce the chance of errors.

Co-payments are due at the time of your visit. Insurance companies require that patients pay their co-payment for each scheduled appointment. We appreciate your cooperation in paying your co-payment at the time of registration. Please check your insurance card for the amount due. We accept personal checks, VISA, MasterCard, and American Express.

If you do not have a valid referral from your primary care provider (PCP), you will be asked to sign a waiver assuming all responsibility for payment of the visit. You will also be asked to pay a $50 deposit.

If you get a referral from your physician before noon the following business day, we will refund your waiver deposit. After that, we will refund your waiver deposit once we receive payment from your insurance company for the visit.

A referral is a form or code number from your child's PCP or insurance company that is required for office visits with most HMO insurance plans. Referrals can vary in the number of visits they cover, the length of time that visits can be used, and the services covered. Please note that referrals do not guarantee coverage, so please check directly with your insurance carrier.

Below is a list of our attending physicians and their national provider identifier (NPI) numbers. Please reference these numbers when contacting your PCP's office or insurance company to request a referral. Confirm that the specialist is a member of your health insurance network, otherwise you may be subject to "out-of-network" costs.

Surgeon NPI numbers

• Buchmiller: 1497780811
• Chen: 1265451751
• Cuenca: 1992871412
• Demehri: 1821317587
• Dickie: 1720270606
• Fishman: 1235164617
• Jaksic: 1972538379
• Kim: 1144249632
• Lee: 1245526276
• Lillehei: 1285653766
• Modi: 1730136524
• Mohammed: 1558643437
• Mooney: 1881613370
• Nandivada: 1184936320
• Papadakis: 1528046257
• Puder: 1285671875
• Rangel: 1588871586
• Shamberger: 1043239536
• Weil: 1972760593
• Weldon: 1750485884
• Zalieckas: 1174794556
• Zendejas: 1740576370
• CHMC Surgical Foundation Inc.: 1902977515

Be sure to bring your card or your child's card if your insurance company issues one in your child's name to each visit. We will ask to see your insurance card to verify that we have the correct information. If you change insurance companies, please notify the office immediately so we can update our records.

Uninsured patients or services not covered by insurance companies may be eligible for a 40 percent discount at the time of service. Please contact our office to discuss this option.

Additionally, if you are uninsured or have limited income, you may qualify for public assistance or free care. Depending on your income level, all or part of your medical costs may be covered by the medical center under the free care provision of state Medicaid Law. For more information, contact Financial Counseling at 617-355-7201.
 

Billing issues are substantially reduced when families contact their insurance company directly prior to their initial visit and get any necessary authorization in advance.

If you experience billing issues, please contact our billing office at 800-224-7070. You may also need to contact your PCP's office or insurance company to help rectify the account.

For more information, review these frequently asked billing questions.
 

Your doctor may need additional tests to evaluate your child's condition. Usually, these are imaging studies, like x-rays and MRIs, which provide an inside look at your child's bones and muscles.

Your child's tests may include:

• CT scan
• echocardiogram
• electrocardiogram (EKG)
• MRI
• ultrasound