FAQs

Do you take insurance?

Yes! We accept nearly all major commercial insurance plans.  Unlike many practices these days, we also see patients who have Tricare or Medicare. We are currently out of network for Kaiser and Medicaid.  Please be sure to contact your insurance carrier to ensure that we are in network for your specific plan.  Look for Dr. Karen Kathleen Weese Bell in your list of participating providers within your network.  If I am in-network for your plan, then you can see any provider in our practice because I am the billing provider.

What is your cash-pay rate?

Yes we have a discounted rate for our cash-pay patients! We are more than happy to see you if you do not have insurance.  Payment must be made in full up front and at the time of service. Our current fee schedule is:

  • $280 for all Adult and Pediatric New Patient Visits (75-90 min)
  • $200 for Annual Physicals/Well-Child Checks (60 min)
  • $100 for Office Visit/Followup Visit (30 min).
Is there a limit to how many patients can join your practice?

Yes, we will limit the practice to a small number of patients, so that we can continue to provide high-quality care for our existing patients and still keep our overhead costs low (as compared to 2500 patients in a typical practice).

How do I make an appointment?

We can’t wait to meet you!  The easiest way is to self-schedule through our online booking system. New patients schedule here and existing patients schedule here.  You can send us an email or give us a call and leave a voicemail (970-300-3323) if you need assistance with scheduling.

Where are your New Patient Forms?

Click here to find our New Patient Packet. Please bring the completed hard copies along with your insurance card to your first visit.

Where is your office located?

Please see the location page on the website for directions and location information.

Do you do short initial phone consults or in-person meet and greets?

Due to time and financial constraints, we are no longer able to offer these services. The easiest way to know if you want to be a patient is to simply book your first visit and try us out.  We would love to be your primary care home!

Do you do annual physicals or wellness checks on the first visit?

The short answer? It depends. The long answer is that it depends on your age and how many things we need to discuss. Usually the first pediatric visit is almost always a well child visit unless there are lots of issues to cover.  Adults usually have problems they want to discuss which is separate from a physical/wellness visit. Because of this adults almost always have an office visit first to establish care, review health issues, and make a treatment plan. We usually schedule the annual physical or wellness check as the second visit. If you want to have a physical/wellness check on your first appt, then please indicate this in your reason for visit. If time allows, we will do our best to accommodate your request.

Do you offer vaccinations?

While we recommend and advocate for immunizations, due to our small practice size we cannot afford to administer vaccines at this time. We direct patients and families to the following services:

  • For children with insurance under 12 months of age, vaccines can be obtained through Weld County Health Department. They are in-network for some insurers and will provide superbills to patients if they are out of network. Call (970) 304-6420 to make an appointment at the Greeley clinic. They have daytime and evening appointments for vaccine administrations.
  • For children with insurance over 12 months of age, vaccines are available both at Weld County Health Department and at the Little Clinic at the north King Soopers location in Fort Collins.
  • For children without insurance, vaccines are available through Larimer County Health Department or Weld County Health Department.
  • For adults, vaccines are available from any pharmacy or travel clinic if you are traveling out of the country.

Please contact these centers directly for the most updated information regarding vaccinations.

Why don't you have a receptionist and office staff?

Because we are a micropractice! We put the energy into what matters most – the relationship with our patients. We minimize layers of administration and use technology to keep everything simple. This allows us to spend our time and energy delivering personalized care to you! To get an idea of how communication in our practice works, read the Welcome Letter to New Patients here.

I’m expecting a baby! Do you see newborns?

Yes! Congratulations! I (Dr Karen) love seeing newborns, babies, and children. Please contact me directly via email so we can discuss the timing of baby’s first visit.

If I need to be admitted to a hospital, will you be the one to admit me?

Our practice offers outpatient care only. We do not admit or care for patients while they are in the hospital. Once you have been discharged from the hospital, please book an appointment online with the first available clinician so we can help you manage your care.

Why isn’t Dr Karen seeing new adult patients?

Due to the demands of a growing practice, I am currently seeing only new pediatric patients. My wonderful Physician Assistants are more than happy to see you for your initial appointment. I collaborate with them for every visit. Once you have been established with the practice, you can choose to see any of us.

What if I need a specialist?

As your primary care providers, our training and expertise allows us to handle many of your health care needs. However, we are more than happy to refer you to a specialist if you need or want to see one.

What if I need urgent care?

If you are sick and need to be seen, we will do our best to ensure you are seen as soon as possible.  If we are unable to see you, we will refer you to either your local urgent care center or emergency department. If your illness cannot wait or if it’s an emergency, you need to call 911 and go directly to the emergency department at your nearest hospital.

Can I get medication refills, forms, or referrals without a visit?

People get the best medical care when someone takes the time to listen and properly address concerns. All medication refills, letters, forms, and referrals must be taken care of at the time of your office visit and not in between visits.  Please DO NOT have your pharmacist call the office or send a fax asking for a refill.  When you are running low on your medication it is a reminder that you are due for an office visit.  We prescribe enough medication to last until your next office visit.  If you need any paperwork completed or need a referral, please book a visit so we can address your issues thoroughly.

How much medication can I get at my appointment?

If you have no issues and you are stable on your medication you can usually get a year supply (such as for thyroid replacement and birth control).  If you have ongoing medical issues that are stable we’ll want to see you every 3-12 months and will give you anywhere from 3-12 months worth of refills, depending on the issue, how long you have had it, and what we are working on.  If you have issues that are not under good control, the interval for follow up will be shorter, and the refill interval will also be shorter.  Make sure you ask for ALL of your refills at the time of your office visit. It is best to schedule an appointment while you still have a two week’s supply left.

Why can’t I just call when I’m on my last pill or whenever I need forms signed like at other doctor’s offices?

The average office is inundated with requests between appointments.  Over 30% of phone calls to the average primary care office are related to medication refill requests alone.  Another 20% of calls are second calls in the same day from the same person who did not get their call returned.  How many times have you called a very busy clinic only to tell the same story of what you need to 3 different people, none of which is the actual clinician? These practices employ a small army of staff just to handle all of this extra coordination, which results in communication errors, wrong prescriptions, incorrect paperwork, and so on. Last-minute refills or scrambled-together forms and referrals are recipes for careless mistakes. Schedule a visit with us directly so we can thoughtfully address your needs.

Who do I contact for billing questions?

Our billing team at Halcyon Billing will be happy to answer any of your billing questions or concerns. Please contact them at 702-707-2625 and leave a detailed voicemail regarding your billing issue. Please be sure to leave a detailed message with your name, date of birth, your clinician, and your best callback number. You can also email your billing concerns at [email protected]. They will respond to your query within 1-2 business days. Thank you!