1) Do you take my insurance?
We do take most insurance plans. There are very many different insurance plans that it is hard to say we take them all. The best way to find out is to call our main office at 845-561-5227 and ask us. We can also add different plans if we receive a lot of requests.
2) Do you have evening hours?
Yes, Tuesdays and Fridays until 6 p.m. (or the last appointment if there are no calls).
3) Do you have weekend hours?
Yes, we are open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please note we will close earlier if there are no more calls or will stay later if needed. Hi
4) Is the doctor Board Certified?
Yes, Dr. Bernardez is a Board Certified, FAAP pediatrician. Sarah Green our Nurse Practitioner is also Board Certified has many years of experience and and working on her doctorate.
5) What is FAAP?
FAAP stands for "Fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics".
6) If I call after hours, do I get the doctor or an answering service?
To reach us after hours, please call 845-561-5227. From there, the call will either be forwarded to the practitioner on-call or straight to the doctor. For this reason, we will only take medical calls.
7) If I want to see just one doctor, can I?
Yes. We believe that if the patient is only comfortable with one doctor, they can make the choice and see that particular doctor (for physicals, well check-ups, asthma follow-ups, etc.). However, if your child is sick, the practitioner on that day is the one who is available and fully capable.
8) Are you accepting new patients?
YES! We are, and we also appreciate referrals. Please refer your friends, neighbors, and any others.
However, due to recent outbreaks, Orange Pediatric Care is changing our vaccine policy. We will no longer accept patients who do not vaccinate their children. Exceptions are made for those with medical conditions.
9) Which hospitals are you associated with?
As a patient, you can go anywhere. Orange Regional and Vassar have a "hospitalist" and you are seen by the hospital doctor, after which you can follow up with us. If you wish to go to St. Luke's, you will be seen by the doctor on-call as they have no dedicated hospitalist.
10) How is the new Health Care Law affecting you?
The insurance landscape has changed. The types and amount of different plans have grown. Many people do not know if they have a deductible, a copay, or a percentage. Some plans have changed while others have been discontinued and replaced with something new. It has become a bit more complex. Through it all, however, your babies' and children's health is most important. Please do not hesitate to call us in order to confirm that we take your insurance. We will work with you no matter what your insurance situation, but you may be responsible for the payment.
Please always ensure that Dr. Maria Bernardez is listed as your PCP (primary care physician).
11) Does your practice serve Dutchess and the other surrounding counties?
Yes! We also love meeting new families and children from Beacon, Wappingers, Fishkill, Glenham, Cold Spring and the other communities on the Putnam/Dutchess side of the river. We are less than 10 miles/15 minutes south from the Beacon/Newburgh Bridge.
12) Does your office speak Spanish?
Yes, some of our staff are fluent and Dr. Bernardez is conversant on a medical level.
13) What do I do when my insurance gets cancelled or changes?
Unfortunately, the new "landscape" is that insurances are changing all the time. Insurance companies are dropping plans, and some are even pulling entire plans out of certain areas. At that point you will have to join a new plan with either that company's other current plans or with another insurance carrier or the health exchanges.
When you do, please make sure that you still list us as your primary care physician. Once the new insurance becomes effective, confirm that the insurance company has listed us as the primary care physician (often even if you requested us, their system will default to other doctors).
14) What are your contact numbers after hours?
Please call us at 845-561-5227.
If you have received a call during the day, it may not be from the correct number to reach us. The doctor or staff may have called from another phone if our regular one was in use, so please do not just redial the last number you were contacted with. It may not be one which is forwarded to our after-hours phones.
Please only call after-hours for a medical issue or question. Dr. Bernardez cannot help with non-medical questions such as for billing, forms, or changing or scheduling an appointment.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
15) Do you accept families who do not get vaccinated?
Unfortunately not. We are no longer accepting new families who do not vaccinate their children. We will make exceptions for children with medical conditions which preclude them from getting vaccinated.