FAQs

Concierge Medicine FAQs

Concierge Medicine, also known as Membership Medicine, is a long-standing form of medical practice where patients pay a monthly or annual membership fee and receive a personalized experience with a dedicated primary care provider. It arguably allows for the highest level of care quality and experience for the patient.

Yes, NVFP is a concierge medical practice where we focus on personalized preventive care. We strive to provide the highest quality medical care, emphasizing a proactive, comprehensive approach to disease prevention and health maintenance, and to offer enough time at each office visit to address all of the patients’ questions and concerns. Our belief is our role as your provider is one of educator and coach to empower you to make healthy choices and take responsibility for your health and well-being.

Our members pay an Annual Fee to join our practice and this covers their membership for the year. This allows us to limit the size of each of our provider’s patient panels so more time can be devoted to your care and individual needs. Appointments start promptly and we spend more time with you. If a problem requires extra time for evaluation, you will be accommodated to the best of our ability. We offer enhanced communication through secure messaging and email as well as our interactive website at www.nvafamilypractice.com.

There are several benefits to being a part of our concierge medicine practice. See below for a full list of benefits and value drivers for your health and wellness:

  • Relationship with top providers in the DMV area who are dedicated to your and your family’s long-term health and wellbeing. Your wellness plan is tailored to your individual needs and we take the time to provide thorough, high quality care.
  • Strong and lasting relationship with your provider and care team. Our staff gets to know you. Phones are answered in a timely manner by friendly people who know you and your family members. Many needs can be handled over the phone, allowing you to have your medical needs met from the comfort of your home.
  • Same-day or next-day appointments. Most office visits will be available on short notice, even for minor or non-urgent medical issues.
  • Confidential portal. Provides secure email to maintain privacy.
  • Coordinated hospital care. We will talk with your hospital providers, wherever you may be, to help facilitate your inpatient and out of hospital care.
  • Consistent Coverage. If your dedicated doctor is unavailable, another NVFP provider will provide your care.
  • 24 hour on call service. One of our trusted NVFP providers will be available, at all times of the day or night, for urgent issues.
  • Care for visiting family. If your family member is ill when visiting the Alexandria area, we will see them in our office and assist with their acute medical care.
  • Long-distance care. For patients who travel or live out of state, we can coordinate care for you, in conjunction with your local physicians.
  • Little or no office waiting room time and unrushed appointments. Annual examination appointments are scheduled for a minimum of 90 minutes and all other appointments for 30 minutes, allowing adequate time to thoroughly address all of your questions and concerns.
  • Strong focus on preventive medicine and long term health and wellness. Our philosophy is to educate you about your personal medical needs and risks. We will work with you to assess your level of health and emotional well-being, and determine an appropriate personal wellness plan. This will allow you to take an active role in managing and maintaining your best health.
  • Enhanced patient education. As part of our commitment to wellness, we host periodic small group educational seminars and provide quarterly newsletters focused on topics relevant to your health and well-being.
  • Personalized referrals. As an independent physician’s group, we are not limited to a particular hospital or specialist referral. Instead, if you request our assistance, we will refer you to those facilities or physicians that we feel best suit your needs.
  • Travel medicine consultation. We offer guidance on CDC-recommended inoculations and/or precautions to be taken while traveling, and will refer you to a travel clinic if appropriate.
  • White glove administrative support. We do our best to help you address issues related to scheduling outside of our practice, insurance or billing questions, difficulties getting to our office, etc.
  • Wellness programs that complement your care. We offer exclusive access to wellness programs and events that are designed just for our patients or a small, defined community of individuals. Your guests are also welcome to participate in our programs and events.

Annual Fee and Insurance FAQs

The Annual Fee is a defined amount charged to each member of our practice that allows them access to our practice and the many benefits listed above. To learn more about joining our practice and the annual fee, please contact us.

Your annual fee may be paid in full by check to Northern Virginia Family Practice Associates or may be paid semiannually or quarterly by credit card, and will be charged to the credit card you indicate on your Patient Agreement form upon receipt of the enrollment form. If you opt for a semiannual or quarterly fee payment option, the remaining balance of your annual enrollment fee will be automatically charged to the credit card in installments after your start date, accordingly. Until we hear otherwise, payments will be processed continually.

Yes. This medical practice will not take the place of general health insurance coverage. NVFP is a primary care medical practice, not a health insurance program. You are advised to continue your participation in your PPO, Medicare or any other insurance programs.

Most likely, yes. We participate as in-network providers for many commercial health insurance plans. However, should we not be in-network with your insurance plan, we will attempt to refer you to in-network providers for any necessary consultations and to in-network facilities for diagnostic tests and hospitalizations as medically indicated. Those services will likely be covered according to in-network fees.

The annual fee is not reimbursable by your insurance plan.

We are required to bill insurance for all covered medical services provided to you in our office, including the Comprehensive Annual Health Assessment. You are advised to consult with your FSA or HSA plan administrator, employer, HR representative or tax advisor to clarify qualification in your particular circumstance. If needed, you may request an annual fee payment receipt from our Membership Billing Coordinator, Dana Ible, at (703) 379-8879.

Yes. We will file your claim with Medicare and your supplemental insurer as well as Medicare Advantage plans on your behalf.

No. The annual fee only includes services and benefits described above that are not covered by Medicare (or any other payor) and will not be paid for or reimbursed by Medicare. We will continue to submit claims to Medicare and to your supplemental insurance on your behalf for all medical services.

Routine office visits and preventive visits are billed to your insurance company. Co-pays and deductibles must be met before insurance will pay. If you have a co-pay, we are required to collect it at the time of your visit. Certain injections, vaccinations, and special procedures may require additional charges, but they will be billed to patients at our cost to administer them.

Your annual fee covers participation in the personalized preventive care program. All other procedures and services not performed by NVFP will be billed by the performing entity.

Yes. Paying your annual fee allows you to be a member of the practice whether you are sick or well. We strongly encourage you to utilize the benefits and amenities offered, including your Comprehensive Annual Health Assessment, regardless of your state of health.

If you move and wish to secure a new primary care physician, the annual fee may be refunded on a prorated basis. A copy of your records will be sent to your new physician upon receipt of a signed release as required by law.

Preparing for Your Visit FAQs

Our office is located at 2445 Army Navy Drive, Suite 400, Arlington, Virginia 22206

Our office is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern, and our lab hours are Monday to Friday from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm Eastern.

There is a free patient parking in the parking lot in front of the building, immediately off Army Navy Drive. There are two handicap-accessible entrances, located on either side of the building.

When you join our practice and submit payment for your Annual Fee, you will receive a Welcome Packet that will include several forms for you to complete and send back to us. Included in this packet is an Medical History Form and a Medical Record Release Request form both of which are needed before your first visit.

In our ongoing efforts to assist you in adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and optimizing your quality of life, you will be encouraged and reminded by our staff to schedule a Comprehensive Annual Health Assessment each year. This is a comprehensive annual examination, unrelated to any illness or injury. It will include a thorough examination and an appropriate array of screening tests based on age, health status and risk factors. Every patient is advised to have an annual evaluation. Depending on your particular health situation, additional tests (such as specific blood tests, a colonoscopy, mammogram, etc.) may be recommended. These will be billed by the performing entity, and you or your insurer will be responsible for payment of these tests. We will use the results of the exam to help you develop a plan for the year to improve health and fitness and to address any new or existing health goals.

The membership fee does not apply to the Welcome to Medicare assessment or Annual Wellness Exams. Portions of this Comprehensive Annual Health Assessment and associated tests may be “covered” services under Medicare and other commercial insurance plans and will be billed accordingly. However, the annual fee applies only to non-covered components of the Comprehensive Annual Health Assessment.

If you have a life threatening emergency, call 911 immediately, then go to the nearest emergency room and have the hospital contact us. We will assist in the coordination of your emergency care thereafter. For other urgent issues, we ask that you contact NVFP before going to any urgent care facility, and at any time of the day or night. We will attempt to address urgent after-hours problems directly.

Our physicians are on staff at Inova Alexandria Hospital. If you should need to be hospitalized, our office will remain involved in your care.

Call us first if the problem is minor. With the exception of a few controlled substances, most prescriptions can be ordered anywhere in the country. If necessary, it may be possible for us to provide a resource for care where you are located. If you seek care at an emergency room or urgent care center out of our area, we request that you have the doctor seeing you call our office for coordination. Our secure patient portal can also help provide coordination between other facilities by giving you access to portions of your medical record from any computer device with an internet connection. If you should require hospitalization while away, we will, at your request, attempt to establish daily phone communication with you and your attending physician(s) to ensure continuity of care.

As always, our patients are free to see any specialist they wish. We are available to help you decide which specialists to see and to coordinate such consultations. In this way the most appropriate resource is used, the earliest arrangements are made, and your applicable medical information is sent in advance of your specialist visit. We have the ability to refer you to many of the finest medical facilities in the country. When your health condition warrants these “Centers of Excellence” we will discuss these options.

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Primary Care Physician in Alexandria, VA

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