Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Will It Take Me To Get An Appointment?
We offer services by appointment but always do our very best to accommodate same-day visits when urgent conditions develop. For routine and non-urgent services, we can usually schedule an appointment within a few days.

Can I See The Doctor On The Weekend?
Appointments are scheduled Monday through Friday. Phone consultations are available on weekends and the doctor may make weekend housecalls on a limited, individualized basis.

Can I See The Same Physician Every Time?
Yes. We can generally schedule the same physician for each visit. However, Sierra HouseCalls Medical Group has several highly qualified medical providers, and it is part of our philosophy to have each provider become familiar with as many patients in the practice as possible. For this reason, you may be scheduled to see a provider other than your original physician unless you specify that you would prefer not to.

What If I Need Lab Or X-ray Studies?
Our physicians and nurse practitioners can draw blood and deliver it to the lab under certain circumstances. We will order any lab, x-ray, and medical imaging (CT, MRI, etc.) studies that might be needed to fully evaluate your medical condition.

What If I Already Have A Primary Care Physician? Can I Have A Sierra HouseCalls Physician Come To My House?
Yes. If your primary care physician does not make HouseCalls and you need a physician to see you in your home we will be happy to schedule an appointment for you. You don’t need to change your primary physician to be seen by us. If you desire, we will send a copy of our report to your physician and coordinate your care with them.

Do You Accept Medicare?
Yes, we are “participating Medicare providers” and accept assignment, which means that we bill Medicare directly on your behalf and we agree to accept the charges that they have set for our services. We also accept all secondary and supplemental insurance plans and will bill them directly on your behalf.

Do You Handle Emergencies?
We are not equipped to handle most true emergencies in the home (e.g. heart attacks, strokes, major trauma) and for these situations you should call 911 and be taken to the hospital of your choice. If a patient truly does not wish to be evaluated in a hospital you may attempt to contact our physician-on-call (209-532-4287) to discuss the particular situation.

If I Need To Be Admitted To The Hospital Because Of An Illness Will Sierra HouseCalls Doctors Take Care Of Me During The Hospitalization?
Yes. At present, Dr. Personius is the admitting physician for any of our patients who require hospitalization. If you have another primary doctor who you would like to have oversee your hospital care, this can be arranged as well.

Do I Need To Be “Homebound” In Order For You To Make A HouseCall And Have Medicare Pay For It?
You do not actually need to be homebound to be eligible for medical HouseCalls We do, however, need to be able to justify that there is a medically necessary reason for the visit to the home instead of an office visit. Examples of conditions that make a home visit justified are illnesses that cause weakness or instability, impaired vision, dependence on oxygen, lack of transportation, having a spouse at home who requires constant supervision, etc. If you have questions about your eligibility for this service you can call our office at 532-4287 and discuss it with our Patient Care Coordinator, Aimee Allison.

Do you coordinate services with home health nursing and physical therapy agencies?
Yes, we work closely with all of the home health nursing agencies in the community, including Hospice of the Sierra. If your condition warrants it, we will make appropriate referrals to the agency of your choice.

Do You Make HouseCalls To All Areas Of Tuolumne County? What About Other Counties?
Yes, our medical staff travels to all areas of Tuolumne County to see patients. Currently that is the only county we serve but we are looking to expand our services to surrounding counties in the near future.

I Have Commercial Insurance. Will My Carrier Reimburse Your Charges?
Because there are many insurance companies, and each one offers many different plans, it is impossible to predict how each plan would reimburse for the fees we charge. At present we do not contract with primary insurance plans other than Medicare, so if we were to evaluate and treat you in your home you would need to pay the fee directly to us by cash or check and we will provide you with a statement to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. You may want to check with your insurance company to find out how much they will reimburse you for this service.

If I Don’t Have Insurance How Can I Pay For Your Service?
We see patients on a "fee-for-service" basis, which means we ask for payment at the time of service. For your convenience, we accept cash or personal check.

How Much Will A Housecall Cost If I Don’t Have Medicare And Am Paying Cash?
The fee for a housecall depends on the nature of your condition or illness, the time of day you are requesting to be seen and the distance the physician needs to travel to see you. A new patient with a serious illness in or near the Sonora area would be charged approximately $200-$250 for a housecall. A patient who is known to the practice with a minor condition close to town may be charged around $100-$150.