PATIENT INFORMATION                 

Thank you for choosing Katy Internal Medicine Associates (KIMA) as your healthcare provider.

If you are a new patient, you will receive a user name and password after your account has been set up. You will then be able to securely access all your confidential patient files.

First Visit

Please arrive at least 15 minutes early for your first appointment to complete your medical history and insurance forms. Documents required on your first visit are:

• Proof of eligibility or insurance card
• Photo identification
• Any referral or authorization

Some information can be completed prior to your appointment. Download the New Patient Packet, complete the requested information and bring it with you on your first visit.

We can also fax or mail these forms to you prior to your appointment. Please call us at 281-392-8620 if you have any questions or if you would like these forms sent to you.

Subsequent Visits

Please bring your insurance card with you and let us know of any insurance changes at the time you check in.  Please verify your address and phone numbers at each visit to ensure that we can reach you.

Scheduling

To accommodate all of our patients' needs, we only see patients by appointment. In order for us to serve you better, you must cancel at least 24 hours before your scheduled appointment.

Due to the nature of our practice, there may be times when patients with emergencies are worked in before patients with appointments. All of our physicians are also on call for the treatment of acute illnesses and your physician may be called to the hospital unexpectedly. In these situations, we will notify you as soon as possible and will make other arrangements for you.

After Hours and Holidays

A KIMA physician or one of our affiliate physicians is always available for emergencies 24/7, including weekends and holidays. Our answering service will notify the physician on call if you have an emergency that cannot wait until office hours.

If you have an emergency that needs immediate attention, call 911 and/or go immediately to the nearest emergency room. The emergency room physician should contact us regarding your medical condition. Please call us at 281-392-8620 and the answering service will contact our physician.  

Billing and Insurance

Payment at the time of service is required. We participate several managed care plans and only the co-payment and any balances not covered by your insurance provider are due at the time of your office visit. We will file a claim with your insurance company for the balance of your bill. Call us before your visit at 281-392-8620 to find out which services are covered under your insurance plan.

We accept various forms of payment including VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, checks and cash. We realize that economic circumstances may make it difficult for uninsured patients to pay the full amount of their bill. In the event that you cannot pay at the time of your visit, please let us know and we will work with you to arrange a payment plan.

Authorizations, Pre-Certifications and Refills

Please bring pharmacy information or formulary information to your visit.  Insurance companies have become very selective about the medications and tests they cover.  Please ensure that you have enough refills of your medications to last until your next visit.

Complicated prior authorizations, pre-certifications and refills occupy a significant portion of our medical assistants’ time.  There is a charge of $10 to $20 to cover this administrative expense. 

Medical Records

Our practice uses a HIPAA-compliant Electronic Health Record (EHR) system designed to provide more efficient and effective medical care.  All patient records and test reports are strictly confidential. No relatives or friends can have access to your records without a written release.  To release medical records, we require a signed authorization form from the patient. Please allow two (2) weeks for processing. There is a fee for lab reports, additional forms and copying of records.