Financial Policy
Thank you for choosing our practice for your healthcare needs. We are committed to the success of your medical treatment and care. Please understand that payment of your bill is considered a part of your treatment. The following statements explain our Financial Policy:
All patients should provide accurate and complete personal and insurance information prior to being seen by the provider.
All co-pays, co-insurance, balances due, both current and prior are due at the time of service.
We accept cash, personal checks, and most major credit cards.
Insurance Information
If you have health insurance, it should be understood that this is an agreement between you and your insurance company. You are responsible for payment of your bill regardless of the status of your insurance claim. We believe our fees to be customary for our region and specialty. If your insurance company uses a different fee schedule, you will be responsible for any balance remaining.
Contracted Insurance: If you are a member of an insurance plan which our office has contracted with, you will be asked to pay all co-pays, deductibles, and any non-covered services at the time of service. Please verify with your health care plan which PPO network your claims will be processed through. It is your responsibility to understand, verify, and comply with any predetermination of benefits or referral requirements.
Non-Contracted Insurance: If your health care plan is a non-participating plan, payment is due at the time of service and you will be asked to pay all co-pays, deductibles, and any non-covered services at the time of service.
Medicare: We accept assignment from Medicare. Therefore, Medicare payments will be made directly to the provider. We are required by Federal Law to collect 20% of the allowed amount either out of pocket or by your supplemental insurer. You are responsible for the annual Medicare deductible.
Medicaid: We are participating providers with Montana Medicaid. You are responsible for co-payments at the time of service. If you are not covered under Glacier Medical Associates Medicaid Passport, you must have a referral from your assigned Passport healthcare provider (primary care physician) prior to being seen.
Worker’s Comp: Authorization is necessary prior to your treatment.
Self Pay: Payment is due at the time of service. Patients who do not have health insurance are considered “Self Pay”. For your convenience, we accept most major credit cards.
Auto Accident Related Visits: Patients being seen for automobile accident related issues are required to pay in full at the time of service. Medical insurance does not cover these visits. It is the responsibility of the patient to file any claims with the automobile insurance company.
Past Due Accounts: Unfortunately, we are not in a position to finance health care and we make no arrangements for long-term payments on patient balances. As a convenience, we accept most major credit cards. If unusual circumstances should make it impossible for you to meet our credit terms, we ask that you call or personally discuss the matter with our financial coordinator. This will avoid any misunderstandings and enable you to keep your account in good standing. Accounts that are greater than 6 months past due will be referred to our collection agency.
Returned Checks: There will be a $30.00 charge added to your account for any check returned for nonpayment from your bank. Contact our financial coordinator if you have any questions or concerns at (406) 862-2515.
Medicare Coverage
Why Glacier Medical Associates Participates in the Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM) Program
At Glacier Medical Associates, our mission is to keep your care local, accessible, and affordable. To do that, we participate in a Medicare program called Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM). We want to share what this program means for you, why it matters, and how it helps us continue caring for our community.
Why APCM Exists
Over the past twenty years, Medicare has steadily reduced payments to independent primary care practices; payments for physician office visits have declined by 25-33% after adjusting for inflation and increasing practice costs. Meanwhile, hospital-owned clinics are paid about twice as much for the same services under the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). This imbalance has made it difficult for independent medical groups like ours to continue providing care to Medicare patients. Because of these financial pressures, many independent clinics across the country have stopped accepting Medicare patients altogether, explaining that these programs no longer cover the cost of providing care.
At Glacier Medical Associates, we have chosen a different path—because our core value is caring for our community. We believe our seniors who depend on Medicare deserve access to local, high-quality, independent care.
To make that possible, we participate in the Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM) program. This is not a program we chose, but one chosen for us by Medicare. Participation in the APCM program is the only way Glacier Medical Associates can continue to serve Medicare beneficiaries sustainably.
What APCM Does
APCM changes how we are paid—not how you are cared for.
Instead of paying us only when you have an appointment, Medicare provides a monthly care management payment for each enrolled patient. Before now, Medicare did not pay us for the time we spent between appointments managing referrals and imaging, reading reports from other healthcare providers, talking with you and pharmacies by telephone or email, refilling medications, ordering your medical equipment or other supplies, discussing your care needs with other health care providers and otherwise managing your care in our role as your healthcare partner. The APCM care management payment helps us:
Hire nurse care managers who support you between visits with chronic condition management and care coordination.
Offer same-day appointments to meet patient needs promptly.
Keep our seven-day-a-week urgent care open, billing at primary care rates, which are typically 35% lower than those charged at stand-alone urgent care centers.]
Keep our on-site laboratory open and available to our patients
Remain independent, and physician-owned by your community members.
What It Means for You
Most patients with Medicare Advantage plans do not pay anything out-of-pocket to participate in APCM.
However, some insurance plans assign a small monthly co-pay or coinsurance for this care management service.
Because each insurance plan is different—and we are not insurance experts—we ask that you contact your insurer directly to confirm whether any co-pay applies to your participation in APCM.
Whether your plan covers the cost entirely or includes a modest charge, your participation ensures that we can continue providing the personal, coordinated care you expect from Glacier Medical Associates.
Why Your Participation Matters
To continue caring for Medicare patients, we need all eligible patients to participate in APCM. If you choose not to participate, we fully understand and would be happy to refer you to another healthcare provider outside of Glacier Medical Associates.
Your enrollment directly supports keeping independent, local healthcare available in the Flathead Valley.
Thank you for being part of the Glacier Medical Associates family.
Sincerely,
Glacier Medical Associates
Your Montana Medical Home
Additional Information
Newborn Care and Pediatric Medicine
Recommended Immunization Schedules