F.A.Q.
Welcome to Burlington Medical Associates!
For over twenty years Burlington Medical Associates has been providing quality health care to our residents. Working with the latest in diagnostics, technology, and research, our primary care and specialty teams include dedicated physicians, nurse practitioners, licensed social workers, dieticians, and clinical and administrative support staff.
The Burlington Medical Associates provides a comprehensive range of adult, primary, specialty and preventative health care services, and 24-hour physician coverage. When it comes to your health, we believe the best decisions – and the best results – begin with a good doctor/patient relationship. Quality health care starts with your own personal physician who will coordinate all of your health care needs.
Burlington Medical Associates is affiliated with Winchester Hospital, voted as one of the top 100 community hospitals in America, and Partners HealthCare System, Inc, a unique network of over 5000 physicians, specialists and hospitals founded by the Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospitals. Winchester Hospital and Partners gives you, and us, access to the expertise available at these world-class hospitals when and if you need it.
Burlington Medical Associates accepts most major insurance, including Blue Cross, HMO Blue, Tufts Health Plan, Tufts Health Medicare Preferred, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Medicaid, Medicare and many others.
In recent years, we have invested heavily in technology, including the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). The EMR has revolutionized the way we practice medicine, by ensuring that all your clinical information is captured, stored, and available to your care team any time, any place.
If you are a current patient, we thank you for entrusting Burlington Medical Associates as your source of health care service. If you are exploring your medical care options, we invite you to learn more about Burlington Medical Associates today. We are always available to provide whatever help we can to help you make an informed choice for medical care.
Patient Gateway - Contact Us by the Web
Burlington Medical Associates is pleased to offer you this exciting web based message service to communicate with your doctor!
To send a confidential message to Burlington Medical Associates through Patient Gateway. Select the Mail menu option, click on Write, your Provider's name will default in. At the "About" prompt select "My Care", write your message and click on Send when you are finished.
A member of our staff will contact you within three business days.
HOW TO GET CARE
New Patients
The entire staff of Burlington Medical Associates is happy to join with you in promoting and maintaining your good health. As your primary physician we will guide you through the health care system, serve as your health care advisor when you have questions, and make sure you get appropriate treatment.
Except in serious, life-threatening emergency situations, your primary care physician is the first person to call when you need medical care. We are a group of physicians, working on a rotating call so that you will never be without a physician to call.
To enhance our ability to provide you with access to the best specialists and hospitals, we are affiliated with Partners HealthCare System, Inc and Winchester Hospital. These organizations bring together the specialists of Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, together with our community doctors to create a compete network of patient care.
By working together, we will be able to ensure that you receive the highest quality medical care in the most cost-effective way possible. We welcome your comments on how we can best serve you. Again, welcome to our practice
Select Your Primary Care Physician
Chose your Burlington Medical Associates primary care physician. Your personal doctor will provide or arrange for any care you need. Review the Physician Directory (LINK) and then call your insurance company to let them know your choice. Even if you don’t need to see a doctor now, it is important that you chose your doctor so you will be prepared when you do need care.
If you have any questions about selecting your primary care doctor, you can call us directly at 781-505-8700. We will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Communicate Your Choice with Your Insurance Plan
You can communicate the transfer of your care to your Insurance Plan in two ways: The simplest way is to call your insurance company directly.
You can call us directly at 781-505-8700 and we will help you through the process.
Now that you have become a Burlington Medical Associates patient, we invite you to learn about our many convenient services.
Insurance Carriers
Burlington Medical Associates is contracted to provide services for the following insurance carriers:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
(HMO Blue®, Blue Choice®, Blue Care Elect®,
and indemnity plans only)
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Private Healthcare Systems
Tufts Health Plan (HMO, PPO, POS, and EPO products)
UniCare Classic New England PPO
Medicare
Medicaid
Mass Health
In an addition, we offer most indemnity plans.
If you have any questions about your insurance plan, and whether it will cover services provided by Burlington Medical Associates, please don't hesitate to call us at 1-781-505-8700.
Schedule a Visit with Your Doctor
To make it more convenient, we have two different ways you can set up appointments:
You can either call the BMA Appointment Scheduling Office at 781-505-8700 or you can complete an Appointment Request Online. Contact our office to schedule an initial visit, during which your doctor and you can get acquainted and review any health care needs. Our convenient Office Hours are designed with your schedule in mind. As a courtesy to our patients, confirmation calls may be made prior to you appointment. However, it is your responsibility to know the date and time of your appointment. Please bring your health plan ID card. Remember that for all appointments, your co-payments (visit fee) or deductible is paid at the time of your visit.
If You Need Illness or Injury Care
Always call our office, day or night, whenever you need care. Urgent assistance is available 24-hours a day. Call the BMA Appointment Scheduling Office at 781-505-8700 to speak with our Scheduling Secretaries or After Hour Coverage Service. Calling first helps your doctor schedule and prepare for the care you need, whether it is at our office or at a hospital. It also helps assure that the care you receive will be covered by your insurance plan.
If You Have a Life-Threatening Emergency
In a life-threatening emergency – like a heart attack, stroke or loss of consciousness – call 911 or go directly to the nearest medical facility. Then have someone call our office as soon as possible. This is the only time that we don’t ask you to call us first.
If You Need a Prescription Refill
At your next visit, discuss any ongoing medication needs you may have. Plan ahead so you don’t run out of necessary medications. If you require a prescription refill, please notify us several days in advance. You can either select the Prescription Refill Online Request or call the office Prescription Refill Voice Mail at 781-505-8750. Calls to the office regarding prescription are recorded in the prescription voice mailbox. Before you begin the Online Prescriptions Refill Request or call the Office Prescription Voice Mail, have available your pharmacy phone and fax number, a list of any medications needed, the dose, how often you are taking the medicine and how many days are needed.
If You Need a Referral to a Specialist
Your doctor will coordinate the majority of your health care needs. During the course of evaluating your medical needs, you doctor may feel that an opinion from a specialist may be necessary. We will recommend a specialist who participates with us. With rare exception, most health insurance plans require that your primary physician approve all health services you receive. Referrals to specialists should always occur prior to the visit.
You can either select the Referral Request Online or call the office Referral Request Voice Mail at 781-505-8750.
Please allow at least 72 hours for referrals to be approved and processed. Referrals will not be back dated if the specialist is seen without prior approval from your doctor. Please do not expect to get approval for a referral while you are in the specialist office unless you have discussed your request with your doctor before the visit. It is possible that in these situations you will be financially responsible for the specialist’s fees.
If You Can’t Keep a Scheduled Appointment
Call our office at 781-505-8700. At least 24 hour’s notice is best, but please call us any time before your appointment if you can’t keep it. You doctor will appreciate the courtesy, as will other patients who may need to be seen. Appointment cancelled without sufficient notice may be subject to a charge.
To Schedule Laboratory Tests or Receive Your Lab/Test Results
Winchester Hospital Laboratory has a drawing station conveniently located at each of the BMA offices.
If we receive an abnormal test result, either a staff member or your physician will call you to discuss followup. If the test is normal, we will communicate the result via mail or telephone. You can register with the Burlington Medical Associates Patient Gateway to get access to your lab reports online. Tests take varying amounts of time to complete, so it's always a good idea to ask when to expect your results at the time of testing.
Privacy/HIPAA
The physicians and staff of Burlington Medical Associates take very seriously our responsibility to safeguard your privacy. We comply with the HIPAA Federal Government privacy regulations.. At the time of check-in, you will receive a copy of the BMA HIPAA Privacy Statement. Patients will be asked to sign a form acknowledging receipt of our privacy notice. If you feel your privacy has been compromised, please call the BMA Executive Director, Carol Peterson at 781-433-3794 or you may send her an email at cpeterson1@pchi.partners.org
To Obtain or Transfer Copies of Your Medical Record
Patient medical records are the property of Burlington Medical Associates and we are required by the State of Massachusetts to maintain the original record for seven years. We are not allowed to give out the original medical record, even to the patient. However, patients are always entitled to obtain a copy of their medical record. Patients must sign the BMA medical record release form in order for us to send copies to anyone. Please allow ten business days following the receipt of a signed Medical Record Release Request for us to copy and send your medical record. First requests for a medical record copy may be subject to a copying fee. Subsequent copies and all requests from attorneys and insurance companies will incur the copying fee.
Questions About Your Bill or EOB
Please call the BMA Billing Office at 781-505-8780, if you have any billing questions. Please don't call your physician office - the clinical staff doesn’t process patient bills and will not have access to your billing information. If you notice an error on your billing statement, please call the billing office. We won't be aware of errors unless you call.
Patients who ignore collection notices and fail to pay their balance risk negative credit ratings and possible termination from the practice.
If You Have Questions
If you wish to speak with your primary physician, our staff will be happy to take a message and your call will be returned as soon as possible. Please limit you calls after office hours to urgent matters.
For referrals, prescription renewals, appointment confirmation or laboratory inquiries, you can either call the office Voice Mail or the Online BMA Patient Gateway. If you need anything at all – whether it’s the answer to a simple question, an appointment with your doctor, or urgent attention for an unforeseen problem, please contact us. We are here to help.
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Affiliations with BMA, which provide you faster access to additional care if needed:
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