When hospitalization is required, our physicians will see you at either The Finley Hospital or Mercy Medical Center in Dubuque. The fees for services provided by either hospital or the hospital-based physicians (the radiologist, the emergency room physician, the anesthesiologist and the pathologist) are all billed separately from the services provided by the physicians of Dubuque Internal Medicine.

When you are referred to a specialist in consultation or when you have a medical/surgical procedure scheduled, many insurance companies require pre-authorization. Please let us know each time your insurance company requires pre-authorization.

As a general rule, an annual physical exam and most screening tests are not covered by your insurance. However, some insurance companies specifically pay for an "annual" physical examination and some preventive medicine services (like mammography). In most of these situations, the insurance company will pay 100% of the cost for these preventive services even if you have not yet met your deductible. If you have health insurance that does pay for an "annual" physical examination or other preventive services, make sure your physician or nurse is aware of this information.

Many medications require ongoing refills; however, it is possible to run out of your medication refills prior to your next appointment. It is important not to miss any doses of certain medications. Please call for a refill when you have at least five days of the medication remaining to avoid waiting unnecessarily at the pharmacy or missing any of your doses. If you have any confusion about whether or not to continue a medication that has no more refills, PLEASE CALL Dubuque Internal Medicine at (563) 557-9111, and we will give you the proper advice.