FAQ

Ages 18 to 64 years old This site is not compatible with internet Explorer

Frequently Asked Questions

These 50+ questions are listed in the frequency by which they are asked

COVID questions and answers start at 11 and go to 15.

1. Does Dr. Coker prescribe or refill controlled substances?

A. No. They include the following:

ADD/ADHD

Ritalin/Concerta/Metadate/Daytrana/Methilphenidate
Adderall/Amphetamine salts
Focalin/Dexmethylphenidate
Vyvanse/Lisdexamfetamine
Strattera/Atomoxetine

ANXIETY

Xanax/Alprazolam
Klonopin/Clonazepam
Valium/Diazepam
Ativan/Lorezepam
Restoril/Temazepam
Librium/Chlordiazepoxide

CONTROLLED SLEEP MEDS

Ambien/Zolpidem
Lunesta/Eszopiclone
Belsomra/Suvorexant
Sonata/Zaleplon

PAIN MEDS

Oxycodone
Oxycontin
Hydrocodone
Hydromorphone
Codeine
Tramadol
Ultram
Ultracet
Percocet
Morphine
Demerol
Meperidine
Dilaudid

2. Are all appointments really cancelled after 10 minutes?

A. Yes.

After 10 minutes all visits are cancelled - No Exceptions
This strict policy is to ensure all our patients are seen on time

3. Is Dr. Coker accepting new patients?

A. Yes. We are a mature practice founded in 2012 with over 5,000 established patients.

Currently accepting only 4 new patients per month

4. Who is the receptionist that answers your phone?

A. We do not employ a receptionist.

Our Senior Partner - Marc Marchello answers all phone calls
And based on the policies that Dr. Coker has set for her practice
He chooses the 4 new patients per month who are admitted to our practice
Being rude or entitled will disqualify you from becoming a patient

5. a) I was terminated due to nonpayment/insurance/financial reasons . Can I speak with Dr. Coker?

b) I was terminated as a patient due to violations of office policies. Can I speak with Dr. Coker?

A. No.

Medical decisions are made by Dr. Coker
Everything else is handled and decided by our Senior Partner
In adherence to the office policies created by Dr. Coker
His decisions are final

6. Can I schedule a visit with Dr. Coker if my insurance has not paid my bill in over 3 months?

A. Yes. However:

You must first pay your outstanding bill
After your insurance settles the account we will reimburse your payment
It may also be a good idea for you to call them to help expedite the process
Nonpayment after 6 months will terminate patient/Doctor relationship

7. How long has Dr. Coker been a physician ?

A. Since June 2000.

8. What type of medicine does Dr. Coker practice?

A. Traditional western medicine.

Which in many cases is not compatible with holistic and/or alternative medicine

9. Can I do blood work before seeing Dr. Coker?

A. No.

Whether for a physical or a consultation you must see Dr. Coker before doing any labs

10. Does Dr. Coker or anyone in the office speak Spanish?

A. No.

11. I'm a NEW patient and I do not want to get the Covid-19 vaccine can I still see Dr. Coker?

A. No.

12. I will not get the Covid-19 vaccine until it gets approved by the FDA. Why are you forcing patients to take an experimental shot?

A. It was approved by the FDA on Monday August 23, 2021. It is no longer experimental.

13. I have a copy of Governor DeSantis mandate that says you cannot ask me to show proof that I have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Can I schedule a visit?

A. No.

The mandate has exceptions:

Health care providers can require patients to show their vaccination status

As explained:

By attorney Edward L. Birk Esq.
Florida based First Amendment attorney
And Vice President of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA)
Furthermore we are not an Urgent Care Center
The EMTALA federal law does not apply to us either

14. I'm a CURRENT patient and I do not want to get the Covid-19 vaccine, can I still see Dr. coker?

A. Two answers apply:

a. If you saw Dr. Coker in the last 30 days and there is "continuity of care":

Yes
You must bring proof of a negative Rapid Covid-19 Test
Time stamped within 24 hours of your visit
After this visit if you still do not want to get vaccinated
We will be happy to forward all your records to a new physician of your choice

b. If you saw Dr. Coker more than 30 days ago and there is no "continuity of care":

No
We will be happy to forward all your records to a new physician of your choice

15. I am a CURRENT/NEW patient and I have a letter from my priest/imam/rabbi/lawyer/holistic doctor/parent/ governor/etc. exempting me from getting the Covid-19 vaccine. Can I see Dr. Coker?

A. No.

A religious exception from your priest/imam/rabbi is a little rich
Keep in mind we have access to State records, listing all the vaccines you took as a child
Furthermore let's be very clear
You have every right not to get vaccinated against Covid-19
And we have every right not to see you as a patient

16. Are you open on the weekends?

A. No.

Our office hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

17. Why does Dr. Coker only accept patients between the ages of 18 and 64?

A. For the following reasons:

Dr. Coker is an Adult Medicine Physician
Not a Pediatrician or a Geriatric Doctor
In addition we do not accept Children's Insurances
Dr. Coker is also not certified to see Medicare or Medicare supplemental insurances
Once your turn 65 you will have to find a different physician

18. Why are new patients required to have voicemail, text, and email?

A. Being able to reach you is important, especially when it involves time sensitive lab results.

Not having all 3 will disqualify you from becoming our patient.

19. Are patients really terminated if their voicemail is full or disconnected 3 separate times?

A. Yes.

20. Why does my name and address on my ID have to match with what my insurance has on file?

A. For the following reasons:

If your name and address do not match, insurance companies will refuse payment
They will do so after your visit and bill you after the fact
Using our information as if we were asking you for money
Causing patients to call us asking why they are being billed
In short if this information does not match you will not be accepted as a patient

21. I just called my insurance and added Dr. Coker as my Primary Care Physician, they said it will take a few days to update that into their system but they gave me a reference number. Can I schedule a visit ?

A. No. We have accepted "reference numbers" in the past and insurance have declined payment.

Therefore Dr. Coker must appear as your PCP before we can schedule a visit.

22. Can I have my assistant/spouse/significant other make an appointment for me?

A. No. If you are an adult who wants someone else to handle your medical care, we are not the practice for you.

23. My child is 19 can I have access to his/her medical records?

A. No. Your child became an adult at 18, all his/her records are private.

24. Can I give my husband/wife/parent/significant other full authority over my medical records?

A. No. If you are an adult who wants someone else to handle your medical care, we are not the practice for you.

25. Can I bring a friend/parent/child/significant other to my appointment?

A. No. Due to the current pandemic only one person is allowed in our waiting room

26. Can I bring bottled water to my appointment?

A. No. Due to the current pandemic no food or water is allowed in our practice. This includes bottled water hidden in your purse.

27. Since your office is at Mercy Hospital are visits billed as a Hospital Benefit?

A. No. Our office is located at the Mercy Campus but we are not affiliated with the Hospital.

28. I have read your "Policies" section. How do you stay in business with so many strict rules?

A. Our practice was created in 2012 for patients who need to see a Physician on-time.

In order to achieve this goal daily we have rules that some people don't want to follow.

We understand, we are not for everyone, and we are grateful for the concern these individuals have for the well being of our practice.

However, having over 5,000 established patients allows us to hand pick the 4 new patients we accept each month who appreciate being seen on-time and are more than happy to follow our "strict" rules.

29. Why do I need to do so much "paperwork" in my phone every time I make an appointment? I never had to do this before.

A. Yes you did. The difference was that before the pandemic you did it when you got to the office and now you have to do in your phone.

The length of the "paperwork" depends on how long it has been since your last yearly physical.

Yearly Physical = Long Form - About 10 minutes to complete
More than 1 year = Long Form - About 10 minutes to complete
Less than 6 months = Mid Form - About 5 minutes
Less than 30 days = Short Form - About 1 minute
We use an automated system that confirms your visit when it is activated
You have until 5 p.m. to activate your account
At 5:01 p.m. you will receive a text message canceling your visit
Call 305-392-0449 during business hours to reschedule

30. Does your practice personally recommend specialists?

A. No.

31. How can I find a good specialist?

A. We recommend you take the following steps:

Contact your insurance for a list of "In Network" specialists
Chose more than one
Waiting time to see them can sometimes take weeks or even months
Call their office to double check if they are still "In Network"
Failure to do so may result in a denial of claim and an out of pocket expense
Make sure their style of medicine matches your expectations
You can do so by reading reviews from patients who actually saw them
A good website for that is ZocDoc.com but there are others

32. Can Dr. Coker call me back?

A. Dr. Coker does NOT call back the following individuals:

Pharm Reps / Insurance Reps / Telemarketers
Former patients who were terminated
New patients who have not yet been seen
Spouses or relatives seeking medical information on patients
Patients with abnormal lab results (They must be seen in person by Dr. Coker)
Patients who wish to discuss financial matters ( That is handled by our Senior Partner)

33. I am a current patient can she call me back?

A. Yes.

Please understand the following guidelines:

Your last visit has to have been within 30 days
Conversations can only be about that visit
If you are suffering from a new ailment
Or if you feel the discussion will take more than a couple of minutes
Schedule a consultation
Dr. Coker will only discuss medical issues
For everything else ask to speak with our Senior Partner - Marc Marchello

34. Does Dr. Coker's make all final decisions?

A. Dr. Coker makes all final Medical-Decisions. All other matters, including, insurance disputes, financial matters, adhering to office policies and discharging patients due to non compliance to out office policies are made by our Senior Partner Marc Marchello.

35. I have been calling your office and I keep getting your voicemail. Why is that?

A. Reasons:

You are calling from a Private or Unknown number ( We don't pick up those)
You are calling from an international number (We don't pick up those)
We are a mature practice with over 5,000 patients
Our entire staff is comprised of 4 people and that includes Dr. Coker
Our office only has 2 phone lines
Which means if it is business hours we are probably on the other line
Leave us a message and we will call you back

36. Will my insurance pay for 2 physicals done on the same calendar year?

A. No. Even if they tell you they will.

37. My last physical was less than a year ago, can I schedule one with you now?

A. This may seem like a simple question to answer but it is not. Here are the variables:

Insurances allow you to have 1 free physical every 12 months
Some insurances have told patients it can be done per calendar year
Only to reject payment after the fact
By this logic you could have one in December and then again in January
Therefore as per office policy they have to be 366 days apart - No Exceptions
This applies even if your last physical was done under a different insurance

38. Can I pay out pocket for a second physical?

A. No. We do not take self pay patients.

39. Can I have a physical and a consultation on the same day ?

A. No.

40. What is the difference between a physical and a consultation?

A. One is a preventative visit, the other is a problem focused visit.

41. My physical was done more than a year apart and I still got billed for it, why is that?

A. Here is a list of the most common reasons:

Your insurance cancelled your insurance retroactively due to non payment
Your insurance cancelled your insurance retroactively due to loss of employment
Your birthdate may be incorrect
Your address may be incorrect
Your name may be incorrect
Your insurance may think that you have a second insurance
Call them and ask them for the reason as to why they did not pay for your visit

42. I got a bill for the follow-up visit to my physical that should have been covered by my insurance.

A. That is not correct:

The day of your physical is covered by most insurances
All other visits are not
Your Co-payment and Deductible always apply
The amount of your deductible depends on your insurance
Call their customer service number to find out the percentage you are responsible for

43. I came in for my FREE yearly physical and it got billed as a consultation. Can you resubmit it?

A. If in the middle of a physical you start discussing any symptoms. It stops being a physical and it turns into a consultation. And no, it cannot be resubmitted as a physical, that would be fraud.

44. I have blood work and labs from a different doctor that I want Dr. Coker to review, can you bill this visit as a physical ?

A. No. A visit to go over labs is a consultation, to bill it as a physical would be fraud.

45. I am about to leave the State/Country for a few months. Can I do a physical with blood work before leaving?

A. We advice you to wait until you get back or to do it when you get to your destination. Here is why:

Dr. Coker does not do Telemedicine
If your results come back abnormal there can be no continuity of care
Abnormal results involve further testing and prescribing new meds
Calling prescription across State lines has proven difficult
Even more problematic if you are in a different country
The same can be said for additional labs and procedures
Furthermore many insurances will not cover additional visits not done by your PCP
In order to avoid all of this, explain your situation as you schedule your visit

46. I made an appointment online and it was cancelled. Why did this happen?

A. There are many reasons why this would happen, we will list some of them here:

Your voicemail was full or not activated
Your name or your address have changed
You are a new patient and did not complete our "Online Registration"
Your insurance is inactive or they have assigned you to a different doctor
You are an existing patient and your insurance has changed or is inactive
You were terminated or not accepted as a patient in the past

47. Can I schedule a fasting blood draw in the afternoon?

A. No. All fasting blood draws must be done before 11 a.m.

48. How do I get my lab results?

A. Follow these steps:

Download the "MyQuest for Patients"
The lab will post your results as soon as they become available.
If your results appear in any color other than red they are within normal limits.
If they are in RED call 305-392-0449 to schedule a follow up visit.
Please Note: Abnormal test results cannot be discussed over the phone.

49. Can I refuse a follow up appointment to discuss abnormal test results?

A. If your results are abnormal we will do our due diligence to contact you. If you refuse a follow-up appointment or if we do not hear back from you within 30 days, you will receive a certified letter terminating our Doctor/Patient relationship.

50. Does your practice do "Executive Physicals"?

A. No. Ask your employer where to go for one.

51. I am an existing patient, can your office prescribe new medications over the phone?

A. No. This policy includes medications for colds, flu like symptoms, UTIs, allergies, etc.

52. Can your office prescribe existing medications over the phone?

A. Yes, within 30 days of your last visit

53. How long can your office refill BCPs or prescriptions for chronic conditions?

A. Up to one year from your last physical with blood work. After 365 days you will need to schedule a physical.

54. Can I get to your office taking public transportation?

A. Yes. Metro Bus 12 has a stop at Mercy Hospital.

Please Note: Arrival times are erratic, plan accordingly.

All late appointments are cancelled after 10 minutes - No Exceptions.

55. I have not seen Dr. Coker for a few years. Has your office moved?

A. Since our grand opening on December 12th, 2012 these have been our addresses:

1757 SW 3rd Avenue

1390 Brickell Avenue

2250 S. Dixie Highway

As of 2021 we are at:

Mercy Hospital Campus - Not affiliated with the Hospital - 3661 S. Miami Avenue Suite 605

56. I am a drug representative, can I stop by our office and bring lunch?

A. No. Miami Family Medicine does not meet with reps . Everything is handled by our parent company but thanks for the lunch offer.

57. I am a medical student can I do a rotation or shadow with Dr. Coker?

A. No.

58. I wrote you an email and did not hear back?

A. Our HIPAA compliant email is office@brickellfamilymedicine.com

It is only used to upload medical documents and it does not provide personal correspondence.

For everything that requires a response, please call our office.

Thank you for reading our FAQ section.