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For prospective patients

Background. I've practiced medicine in the Glendale/La Canada area since 1982. I am certified by the boards of three specialties: the American Board of Internal Medicine, the American Board of Addiction Medicine, and the American Board of Pain Medicine. I have broad experience in internal medicine, addiction medicine, and pain medicine. I practice with five other specialists in internal medicine at Verdugo Internal Medicine in La Canada, just north of Glendale and about ten miles north of downtown Los Angeles.

Contact information. Call Verdugo Internal Medicine weekdays from 9:00 AM-noon and 2:00-5:00 PM at (818) 790-4300, fax (818) 790-2816. The address is 1809 Verdugo Boulevard, Suite 200, Glendale CA 91208.

Types of problems addressed:

You need a new primary physician.
You want to assess your risk for heart disease or other illnesses.
You'd like to do everything possible to maintain optimal health.
You need a routine checkup, Pap smear, or overall health assessment.
You have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, bronchitis, heart problems, shortness of breath, chest pain, asthma, emphysema, diabetes, or other medical problems.
You feel stressed out or overwhelmed.
You'd like help with too much drugs or alcohol.
You'd like to start Suboxone or Subutex.
You have fibromyalgia, headaches, back pain, or other chronic pain.
The medications you're using for pain aren't working properly.

My approach. I spend the time with my patients I think they need to receive the proper diagnosis and treatment. Many of my patients tell me their previous physicians have never taken the time to listen to them. When appropriate, much of my treatment is counseling in self-help measures and proper lifestyle. I know about the proper use of herbal medicines and supplements.

Costs and insurance. As I describe at length, the current system pays physicians to do things to patients, not to take the time to figure out what's wrong and what to do about it. Because I spend more time with patients than most, I am "out of network" for most HMO and PPO insurance firms. We do bill insurance and accept insurance payments as a courtesy. However, you are responsible for your bill, and the amount you pay in deductibles and copays may be more than with a doctor who is contracted with your insurance plan.

I do not accept Medi-Cal but am a participating provider in Medicare. Thus, Medicare and your secondary insurance will pay all or most of your visits, labs, etc. in full. All fees are set by Medicare and are less than half our usual charges.

For those not on Medicare, here is a rough guide to how much visits may cost (but your insurance will cover at least some of this):

Initial visit: $100 to $450
Routine follow-up visits: usually $80 to $100 but may be over $200 for unusually long visits
History and physical or preventive medicine exam: $250-$350 depending on age and visit length
Immunizations, electrocardiogram, and other in-office tests: $35 to $250 depending on the test
X-rays, labs, specialist referrals, etc.: Costs are set by providers -- almost all are "in network" and accept PPO and Medicare insurance payments.

Last updated Sun, Nov 1, 2009

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