TELEPHONE CHARGES AND PAYMENTS IN A DIABETES CLINIC

Objectives. To determine reimbursement rates after initiation of charg es for certain telephone calls in a pediatric diabetes care center. De sign. A review of charges and payments data during 1996. Results. Four hundred seventy-two telephone calls initiated by patients and parents were billed during the study period. These falls regarded treatment o f hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, ketonuria, sick day treatment, and insu lin dose changes. Insured patients were charged for 384 telephone call s and indigent patients were charged for gs telephone calls. Telephone calls from insured patients generated charges of $9215 and payments o f $3074. Insurance payments were $1677 (18% of charges), and patient p ayments were $1396 (15% of charges). Telephone calls from uninsured pa tients covered by Texas Medicaid or Chronically Ill and Disabled Child ren funding generated charges of $2193 and no payments. Conclusions. T elephone charges were reimbursed by all payers at an overall rate of 2 7%.