Frequently Asked Questions
Bywater Health is built around low-barrier care, which means fewer hoops, clearer expectations, and as much transparency as possible. We know healthcare systems can feel confusing, exclusionary, or hard to navigate. This page is here to give you straightforward answers about how we work, what we offer, and what to expect so you can decide whether Bywater is the right fit for you.
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Accepted Insurance
We accept many major private insurance plans, including:
Aetna
Blue Cross Blue Shield / Regence / Anthem - (We are unable to accept Legacy plans)
Cigna
First Choice
HMA
Moda
Connexus, Synergy, and Affinity Network plans
Providence
Signature and Extend PPO Network plans
Out of network with Choice and Connect Network plans
United Healthcare
Plans We Cannot Accept
We are unable to accept OHP (Medicaid), Medicare, or Medicare supplement plans, even if they are secondary plans. If you have Medicare, please visit the following website to find a provider for the services you seek: https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/
Understanding Your Benefits
We are happy to bill your insurance for covered services. However, it is the patient’s responsibility to understand their specific plan details, including:
Covered services and procedures
Medication coverage
Referral or prior authorization requirements
Insurance verification systems often provide only limited information, and we highly recommend a phone call to your insurance company about your specific plan and coverage prior to accepting services at our clinic. Being contracted with an insurance company does not guarantee in-network status for your specific plan.
Cost-sharing and patient responsibility
Even comprehensive insurance plans include patient cost-sharing. You may be responsible for co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles. Coverage verification is not a guarantee of payment. Any balance not covered by insurance is the patient’s responsibility.
We strongly encourage you to contact your insurance provider before your appointment to understand what portion of your care they expect you to pay.
Disclosure of insurance plans
Patients must disclose all active insurance plans (primary, secondary, and tertiary) and notify us of any changes promptly.
Failure to provide complete and accurate insurance information may result in incorrect Coordination of Benefits (COB). If claims are denied due to incomplete or incorrect information, the patient is responsible for the full balance.
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We charge a flat rate of $150 per 20 minutes of face-to-face time with a provider. We do not offer a sliding scale.
That said, we are mindful of cost and can work with you to focus visits on what is most essential, minimize appointment length when appropriate, and reduce unnecessary return visits.
Typical visit lengths:
New medical patients: 40 minutes
New psychiatry patients: 60–90 minutes
Follow-up medical visits: 20 minutes
Follow-up psychiatry visits: 20–60 minutes
For patients looking to utilize our cash rate, please contact our office for appointment estimates and more details.
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Yes—with some limitations. Patients must first be established in one of our specialty services: HIV treatment or prevention, Gender-Affirming Care, Psychiatry, or Aesthetic Care. You must also meet criteria for our wellness-and prevention-focused primary care model.
Because we are a small clinic with limited staffing, we are not able to manage patients with complex or high-acuity medical needs, including: POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome) EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) Lyme Disease or Long Covid.
We share this transparently so patients can make informed decisions about whether our clinic is the right fit for their care needs.
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We see patients ages 16 to 65.
Because we do not accept Medicare, patients over 65 can only be seen if they provide documentation confirming they do not have Medicare coverage. Acceptable documentation may include:
A Benefit Verification Letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA)
A Medicare card showing Part A only
A signed statement explaining delayed enrollment due to creditable employer coverage or another qualifying reason
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Your appointment time is reserved specifically for you. We require 24 hours’ notice for cancellations.
Fees: These fees apply if you miss your appointment or cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice. Fees may be waived in emergency situations.
New patient appointment: $375
Follow-up appointment: $150
If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, we may need to shorten your visit or reschedule it, and the above fees may apply.
If you do not show up for your initial new patient appointment and do not call in advance, rescheduling requires provider approval after the fee is paid.