Primary Care
Office Policies
G&M Medical Center is honored you have chosen us for your healthcare needs. We have board-certified providers who are dedicated to providing superior medical care to you and your family. The following information is designed to help you become more acquainted with our practice. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. We are happy to help.
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Office Hours:
Monday 9:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Friday 9:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
During your visit:
PLEASE Limit discussion during your visit to 1 or 2 of the most important problems that you would like help with. Coming with a list of 5 or more problems will not allow us to take care of all of your problems adequately, and you may be asked to make another appointment to discuss additional issues.
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If you bring up any NEW problems (eg. new headache, new back or joint pain) during your Annual Preventative Physical which requires further testing or investigation, then there may be an additional code added to the visit for which you will be charged. The Annual Preventative Visit is to focus on screening and prevention of disease.
The MEDICARE ANNUAL WELLNESS VISIT DOES NOT INCLUDE A PHYSICAL EXAM. There will be an additional code added to this visit for the physical exam portion of your Annual Exam.
Your insurance may not pay for “Routine”/Annual Labs or an EKG (a tracing of your heart rhythm). Any portion of the lab cost that is not paid by your insurer will be your responsibility. You may want to contact your insurance company, before your visit, to see if Routine labs or Tests such as an EKG are covered
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Prescriptions:
Prescription refills may be obtained by contacting your local pharmacy. They will virtually send us the information about your prescription.
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We send all prescriptions electronically to your local pharmacies as well as to your mail-order provider.
No prescriptions will be approved if it has been 12 months since your last office visit, and these prescriptions will not be filled on the weekends.
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All controlled substance prescriptions require an office visit every 1 month.
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All other prescriptions are approved as soon as possible, usually by the next business day.
If you have a problem getting your prescription, please call our office during normal business hours.
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In general, all patients are required to be current patients seen within the last 12 months to get a phone or auto-refill. However, some patients may require labs or an office visit more frequently.
Lab Policy
If you require lab work prior to getting your prescription refill, then you must make a future office appointment at the same time the lab order is written. This is to ensure that the lab results are available for G&M Medical Center to review with you when the refill prescription is written.
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Test Results
Our office will contact you as soon as your test results are in. If they need a discussion, our office may request an appointment.
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Test results are available in the portal if you have signed up for the service.
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Payments and Insurance
Payment is due at the time services are rendered. Your payment may consist of an insurance deductible, a co-payment, co-insurance, or full payment for uninsured patients or those services not covered by an insurance plan.
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We accept most private insurances, Medicaid , Medicaid Plans in the office.
Please be prepared to show your insurance card at every visit. Keeping your records up to date helps us expedite referrals and authorizations necessary for your care and ensures we have the information needed to bill your insurance company accurately and timely.
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As a courtesy, we will bill your insurance company for you. If there is a difference between what they pay and the actual bill, you will be expected to pay the balance to our office.
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Self-pay
We Cash, Card, Venmo, and bitcoin. You may also finance with Cherry payment plans.
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Prescription Refill Policy
To maintain an efficient office, provide quality medical care, and avoid any possible prescription abuses. The following policy explains the General Prescription Guidelines and Prescription Refill Policy for the health providers for the office of G&M Medical Center
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The office of G&M Medical Center does not deviate from the Prescription Refill and Controlled Substances Policy. Failure to comply with this policy may result in dismissal from our practice.
If, at any point, you have questions about anything, please feel free to give us a call.
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General Guidelines:
Please remember to discuss any medication concerns and all refill requests you have with your physician at your regularly scheduled appointments.
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If you need refills and have an appointment, please request them at the time of your visit.
If you have any questions regarding medications please discuss these during your appointment.
If you have a formulary or a preferred medication, you MUST let our office know prior to the physician writing a prescription or calling in your medication. For example, if you want a brand name or need a less expensive medication, let our office know.
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It is your responsibility to notify the office in a timely manner when refills are needed.
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Approval of your refill may take up to three (3) business days so please be courteous and do not wait to call. If you use a mail-order pharmacy, please contact us fourteen (14) days before your medication is due to run out.
Preferred drugs and tiered formularies fluctuate depending on your health insurance. If you don’t have a system that alerts you of formulary restrictions as you prescribe, you will likely receive calls from pharmacies requesting new prescriptions for alternative medications.
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It is important to keep your scheduled appointment to ensure that you receive timely refills. Repeated no-shows or cancellations will result in a denial of refills.
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If for any reason you feel your medication needs to be adjusted or changed please contact us immediately.
If you think that you are having an allergic reaction to a medication, call the office immediately or go to the nearest emergency room.
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All new patients must be established with the office of G&M Medical Center prior to having a prescription refilled.
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Medications are prescribed for your use only. They are not meant to be shared with others.
Additional lab tests may be required to determine the exact doses of prescribed medications; your insurance may or may not cover these tests. Check with your insurance company if you have any specific questions regarding your coverage.
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YOUR PROVIDER WILL NOT DIAGNOSE OR TREAT OVER THE PHONE. If you feel you have an urgent matter that is not an emergency, then call or come to the office and we will do our best to accommodate you that same day. If you are having an emergency, such as: chest pain, signs of stroke (can’t move arm or leg, drooping face), or severe bleeding, just to name a few examples, then GO THE Emergency Department of the nearest hospital.
New or unresolved problems will require a clinic appointment.
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Medications for acute problems (cough, fever) will require an office visit to ensure that a correct diagnosis is made and that appropriate medication is prescribed.
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Patients with multiple medical issues and medications are asked to follow up every 3 months. This is to ensure that we take care of all your issues adequately.
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Prior-authorizations
Many medications require prior authorization. Depending on your insurance this process may involve several steps by both your pharmacy and your provider. Once the prior-authorization form is completed, both the pharmacy and G&M Medical Center must wait for approval.
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Neither the pharmacy, nor the provider can guarantee that your insurance company will approve the medication. You may be required to make an office appointment to complete the process.
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Refill Regular Medications
All regular medications, non-controlled/non-narcotic prescriptions, require a follow up appointment with your provider at least every 12 months (more frequent if necessary). This will be considered a regular office visit.
All prescription refill requests should originate from the patient by contacting their pharmacist asking to request the refill electronically.
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If your prescription bottle indicates you have refills left, you do not need to contact our office. Contact your pharmacy and they will refill it for you; be sure to give the pharmacy adequate time to fulfill your request, Please plan at least five (5) days in advance of your medication running out.
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Refills can only be authorized on medication prescribed by providers from our office. We will not refill medications prescribed by other providers.
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Refills will not be granted if a patient has persistent or worsening symptoms.
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Response Guidelines
Medication refills will only be addressed during regular office hours (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm).
No prescriptions will be refilled on Saturday, Sunday or Holidays.
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Please notify your provider on the next business day if you find yourself out of medication after hours.
All chronic non-controlled medications will only be granted a maximum of 3 refills unless instructed otherwise by the healthcare provider.
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Patients should have been seen in the last 6-12 months before a refill is given.
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Narcotics Policy
Chronic use of habit-forming drugs is seldom in the best interest of patients or providers. There is an opiate epidemic, and many studies have shown that opiate pain medications cause more harm than good. For this reason,G&M Medical Center will NOT be responsible for prescribing chronic narcotics with very few exceptions. A prescribing agreement with strict parameters will be signed in the rare event that long-term use of these medications is required.
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Controlled Substances/PAIN MEDICATIONS
All prescriptions for controlled substances require a face-to-face encounter in the office with only your treating doctor. It is our strict policy that there will be no refills of controlled substances called-in over the phone. If you are in extreme pain due to an acute injury or flare of chronic pain, then go to the Emergency Department. NO EXCEPTIONS.
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Controlled-substances/narcotic prescriptions require a follow up appointment every 30 days.
When it is medically necessary for our doctors to treat you with a controlled substance, we abide by all local, state and federal regulations.
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You will be asked to review and sign a controlled substance contract when your medical condition(s) warrant ongoing treatment with controlled substances. Compliance with your controlled substance contract is not optional, and violation of this policy may result in termination of medication therapy and/or your removal as a patient from G&M Medical Centers Practice.
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All controlled pain medications are to be prescribed for a maximum of 30 days. Patients must be re-evaluated in the office for controlled pain monthly. NO EXCEPTIONS.
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You MUST be seen by a psychiatrist to receive ADHD medications. We will NOT prescribe these medications for new patients. NO EXCEPTIONS.
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Patients are responsible for their controlled substance medication. We WILL NOT issue emergency prescriptions for lost or stolen medications (even if you have a police report). We WILL NOT authorize early refills of pain medications if you run out before the next prescription is due.
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Controlled substances (pain, sleep, muscle relaxants, stimulants, antidepressants) are tracked by the State of New Mexico Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). Pharmacies and physicians DO track your usage of controlled substances through obtaining an online report, which annotates physicians who have prescribed, and pharmacies that have dispensed these medications.
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New patients who request a controlled substance for acute pain may receive one prescription of pain medication or controlled substance (at the discretion of the provider) after a PDMP report is obtained.
G&M Medical Center will not refill controlled substance medication prescriptions for new patients. If you require a refill of a controlled substance, and you are an established patient (for at least one month), you will be referred to a pain management specialist or other specialist related to your condition.
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Prescription Refill Schedule
Treatment Maximum Time-period
Blood Pressure and Cholesterol 6 months (with labs)
Diabetes – controlled 6 months
Diabetes – uncontrolled 3 months (with labs)
Depression and anxiety – controlled 5 months (with labs)
Depression and anxiety – uncontrolled 3 months
Allergy 12 months
Birth control 12 months (PAP & labs)
Thyroid – controlled 12 months
without symptoms or weight changes
Male testosterone 3 months (with labs)
Controlled substances 1 month
Anxiety/depression medication 3 months
Pain medication 1 month
Sleeping medication 3 months
ADHD 1 month
Weight loss medications* 1 month
* Weight loss medications require monthly follow up to monitor weight and blood pressure.