Finding The Wellness In You

Are you taking new patients?

Yes! Veritas Direct Care will be accepting new patients, while space allows. Please see the information above, and apply & register for a Veritas membership. Please note that we are not a chronic pain center, and will not be starting new prescriptions for chronic opiates or opioids. We are also not licensed to prescribe medical marijuana or suboxone.

What are Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants?

NPs and PAs are vital parts of your overall primary care team. They will be the lead providers on a majority of your office visits, working directly with Dr. Arnold and Dr. Kelly to help coordinate your care. They are particularly focused on the management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, nutrition, weight management, exercise, women's health and mental health. Their knowledge and compassion are top notch, and Dr. Arnold or Dr. Kelly are always available to assist, if needed. Never hesitate to book an appointment with one of our NPs or PAs.

What insurances do you accept?

Most of our providers are transitioning to Veritas Direct Care in 2023. Veritas will be utilizing the Direct Primary Care model. Veritas providers are opting out of insurance contracts, which makes us free to work for the PATIENT, not the insurance company. Please see the messages above for details.

Where do I get lab work done?

PCCC opened a lab on site in 2020! We can draw blood and run most lab tests right in the office. Our current in-house lab can test: CBC, Basic and Comprehensive Metabolic Panels, Diabetic blood and urine tests, tests for Urinalysis, Cholesterol/Lipid panels, Thyroid panels, Prostate tests, Rapid Influenza Tests, Rapid Strep Tests, INR/Coumadin testing. We are also performing rapid COVID-19 Antigen tests on site. Most tests will be resulted same day, many tests within an hour (or quicker!). We can send all results to any specialists, and the cost of our labs will be covered by your membership with Veritas Direct Care! We can also draw blood to send other tests to Quest, or CLAB, if needed. We recommend you book a lab appointment prior to your Annual Physical Exam - anywhere from a few hours to a few days prior will work! YOU CAN NOW BOOK LAB VISITS THROUGH THE PATIENT PORTAL! Please call the office 508-418-6600 or email through the patient portal to ask a team member further questions.

Do you offer onsite vaccines or injections?

We anticipate having a limited amount of seasonal flu vaccines available in the fall. We normally assist patients with routine injections required for care.

Where are you located, what about parking, and is the office ADA accessible?

89 Lewis Bay Road is directly across the street from the front door of Cape Cod Hospital, in the brown 4 story condo building. We have our own parking lot - look for the signs for "89 Lewis Bay Court." Patients are allowed to park anywhere in the lot. Our office is on the first level, on the right side of the courtyard. A ramp is available on the left side of the courtyard. We have wheelchairs available. Please call the office 508-418-6600 if you need assistance getting from your car into the office.

Do you offer home visits?

Yes! We are offering a limited number of pre-scheduled home visits for Veritas Direct Care members, for an additional charge of $75 per visit. Please call the office to find out more!

What if I need a refill on medication?

We strive to refill medications when face to face at office visits. If schedules get in the way, you can request a nonurgent refill by either calling the office (link to phone number) or emailing through your patient portal. Please leave your name and date of birth, name of medication, dosage, frequency, amount requested, and the pharmacy information.

Please note that we need at least two business days to process refill requests. If you have not yet established with the practice we will schedule an appointment to review all medications face to face.

Please also note that any controlled medications require a face to face office visit for refills. This includes but is not limited to: benzodiazepines (such as lorazepam/alprazolam/clonazepam), narcotics (including tramadol), testosterone replacement medication, and prescription sleep aids (such as ambien/zolpidem).

What if I need a referral?

All new referral requests require an office visit. For established, follow up insurance referrals: please review at your next office visit, or make a request through your patient portal.

A specialist recommends my PCP order a test or image - what should I do?

Make an appointment for an office visit so we can review and get your testing ordered properly: 508-418-6600

Do you do DOT or Coast Guard Physicals?

Yes! Nurse Practitioner Sarah Edwards is certified for DOT exams, and can assist with Coast Guard Physicals. The cost is $100 for Veritas Direct Care members, and $150 for non-members.

Do you see walk-ins?

We want to see you as soon as possible. Please call to schedule an appointment, so we can best coordinate our staff and resources to accommodate you. 508-418-6600

Do you have a patient portal?

Yes: patient portal

What are your hours?

Our usual office hours are 8am-4pm, Monday through Friday, and are off for lunch from 12p-12:30p. The lab usually starts drawing blood work at 7am Monday-Friday. We are closed for major holidays, but please call for any questions: 508-418-6600.

Is Dr. Arnold the only doctor in the practice?

No. Dr. Anne Marie Kelly joined Primary Care of Cape Cod in 2019. Dr. Kelly was born in Baltimore, Maryland and is a graduate of Georgetown University. She obtained her medical degree from University of Maryland, and trained in Internal Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Kelly has 13 years’ experience in Internal Medicine practicing as a Hospital based attending of Internal Medicine at Cape Cod Hospital. She is a member of the American College of Physicians. She resides in Centerville, Massachusetts with her husband and three children.

Who do I speak to if I have a question about my bill?

Patty Pepe and Jen Hicks are our wonderfull Billing Specialists. Please reach them at 508-418-3966. We appreciate your support and kindness toward Patty and Jen - we can't keep the lights on without them!

Can you explain the CPT codes on my bill from PCCC, and why do I have a balance?

Medical billing is very complicated. Fortunately, most of our providers are transitioning to the Direct Care Model in 2023, which removes the health insurance industry from the patient-provider relationship. Until our providers transition to Veritas Direct Care: We send CPT codes, based on the services we provided to you, to your billing company. Your insurance company then decides how much they will pay PCCC, and what balance is left to you. We understand that the out of pocket costs of medical care are being transferred more and more to the patient. The cost of operating our practice is very high, and we appreciate your support. Copays should be paid at the time of your visit (cash, checks and major credit cards accepted). If you are unable to pay your entire balance at once, please contact the office to discuss a payment plan.

Our most common CPT codes include, but are not limited to:

• 99213: a basic, quick office visit, usually limited to one simple medical problem
• 99214: a more complex office visit, involving either an acute issue or review of multiple chronic issues
• 99215: a very high risk visit, usually representing an acute, potentially dangerous issue
• G0439: a Medicare Wellness Annual Physical
• 99395/99396: Annual Physical Exam for patients aged 18-64
• 99496: Transition of Care visit after discharge from a hospital

Most patients do not have to pay a copay for an Annual Physical Exam. However, if at your Annual Physical Exam you bring up new or acute issues that go beyond the standard issues reviewed during an Annual Physical, we may add a 99213 or 99214 code to your Physical CPT code. This may end up leaving you with a copay for your visit, depending on your insurance company's policies.

Other services for which we bill include but are not limited to EKGs, urinalysis testing, spirometry testing, and Advance Care Planning.

Is the practice part of Cape Cod Healthcare?

We are an independent practice. We support and encourage our patients to utilize services of Cape Cod Healthcare, including the ospecialists, testing facilities, Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital.

Do you round at Cape Cod Hospital?

Our patients are admitted to the Hospitalist Service at Cape Cod Hospital. We will monitor your hospital course, do our best to coordinate information while you are in the hospital, and to coordinate your care after discharge. MOLST