Cancellation & Missed Appointment Policy.
There are times when our patients require urgent or emergency eye care or merely a new pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses and therefore require an eye exam as soon as possible. When patients provide us with advanced notice that they need to cancel or reschedule their appointment, this time can, in turn, be used to assist another patient in need of urgent eye care or a routine eye exam. In this way, our clinic can better serve the needs of ALL our patients efficiently.
We Hate Policies, But Sometimes They're Needed.
Seeing the situation from both sides, our clinic kindly requests a minimum of 24-hours notice if an appointment must be cancelled or rescheduled.
There is no charge to cancel or reschedule an appointment if 24-hours notice is provided.
If less than 24-hours notice is given to cancel an appointment, a $25.00 fee +GST will be assessed to your file and can be paid at your next appointment. If you miss your rescheduled appointment a $50 fee + GST will be assessed to your file.
In the event a patient does not “show up” on a second occasion or for a pre-booked appointment, our practice policy is to ask the patient to find a new provider. Our clinic will be happy to transfer your records to a new office of your choice once all no-shows or cancellation fees have been paid in full. No records will be released if an outstanding balance remains on the file.
Please note: insurance providers and government agencies DO NOT cover fees for missed appointments.
Better late than never.
We live in Alberta; winter happens every year. Weather is usually not a valid reason for missing or rescheduling your appointment, please give yourself extra time.
Obviously, winter road conditions might slow you down, and we won't punish you if you're a few minutes late, we'll do our best to get you in. If you're the last appointment of the day though, please be respectful of the fact that our employees and eye doctors would also like to go home to their families. If we cannot complete the exam in time, we will need to reschedule your appointment.
My insurance coverage didn’t go through.
Insurance coverage is simply another form of payment. Not all employers or insurance companies automatically set up direct billing options, so you must ensure that you have this as an option. Otherwise, you will need to pre-pay for your exam and then submit your receipt for reimbursement. Please check with your insurance provider prior to booking the appointment to ensure that you have coverage for the requested service, that it will cover the full amount, and that they offer direct billing. You will be required to pay the difference at the time of the exam, if the full amount is not covered.
Cancelling your appointment the same day, because your insurance did not go through or did not cover the full amount is the same as a missed appointment, and a $25.00 fee + GST will be charged.
But What If Helio Optometry Cancels On Me?
We like how you think! Just like you have a responsibility to keep your appointment, so do we. If we have to cancel or reschedule within 24-hours of your appointment time, Helio Optometry will provide you with a $25.00 in-store credit which may be applied towards any professional service or product purchase.
Don’t Forget Your Government Issued Photo ID
All insurance companies, including government insurance plans such as Alberta Health Care, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (ASIH) and Alberta Works require patients to show valid government-issued photo ID at the time of service. This measure is designed to prevent insurance fraud and to ensure that the recipient entitled to those benefits receives them
* Exceptions will be made for illness or personal tragedy.
* GST does apply to this fee as it's not for a medical service. So the fee is $26.25.
* $25.00 In-store credit expires within 100-days and has no cash value.