Insurance & Medicaid

We accept Medicaid, Medicare, most commercial plans, auto insurance med-pay and workers’ compensation.

Do you accept Missouri Medicaid (MO HealthNet)?

We accept MO HealthNet. This matters more than it should. A great many pain practices in this region do not take it. That leaves Medicaid patients with untreated pain, or the ER as their only option. That is not a fair standard of care. It is why we take these patients.

Do you accept Medicare and Medicare Advantage?

Yes, including most Medicare Advantage plans. Bring both cards if you have a supplement.

Commercial insurance

We work with most major commercial plans. Networks change all the time. So the only sure answer is a check against your own plan and group number. Call us and we will check before your visit, not after.

Who pays for treatment after a car accident?

Accident billing works differently and it confuses almost everyone, so here is the order it usually runs in:

• Auto med-pay — most Missouri auto policies include medical payments coverage that applies regardless of fault. It is usually the first payer.
• Your health insurance — picks up where med-pay ends.
• A letter of protection — if you have an attorney and a pending claim, treatment can sometimes be billed against the settlement. We will discuss it if it applies.
• The at-fault driver’s insurer — typically pays at the end of a claim, not during treatment.

You do not need to have any of this worked out before you are seen. Come in, get assessed, and we will sort the billing path with you. See accident and injury care.

Do you treat workers’ compensation injuries?

We treat work injuries under Missouri workers’ compensation. Bring your claim number and the name of the adjuster or case manager.

What if I don’t have insurance?

Call us and we will talk through the options with you before you commit to anything.

Good faith estimate

If you are uninsured or paying out of pocket, you are entitled to a written estimate of expected charges before care. See your rights under the No Surprises Act.

What to sort out before the first visit

Bring your insurance card and a photo ID. If a claim is involved — motor vehicle, workers’ compensation — bring the claim number and the adjuster’s contact details. Beginning authorization at the point of booking rather than after the appointment is what prevents the most common source of delay.

Prior authorization is required by many plans for image-guided procedures. It is worth understanding that authorization is not the same as a promise of payment: it confirms the plan considers the service medically necessary, and the final benefit determination still depends on your specific coverage, deductible and remaining benefit. We will tell you where authorization is needed and start that process rather than leaving it to you.

If coverage is the obstacle

Coverage should not determine whether a pain problem is properly diagnosed. Where a plan will not authorize a particular step, there is usually a sequence that gets to the same answer differently, and we find it rather than default to another medication review.