1. Who is Southwest Medical Billing (SMB)?

SMB handles the billing and collections for anesthesiologists for Grand Canyon Anesthesia.

2. What are SMB office hours?

SMB is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed on major holidays. If the office is closed, or you are unable to reach staff personnel, you may leave a message on the answering machine at 602-343-2910. Your call will be returned as soon as possible.

3. Why did SMB send me a bill?

If you receive a bill from SMB, you must have recently had a medical procedure requiring anesthesia or you have had a consultation by an anesthesiologist while in the hospital. A bill will be sent if your insurance has not paid for services rendered; if you have no insurance; or if a deductible is due.

4. How is anesthesia charged?

Anesthesia is billed in time units and base units, which are assigned by the American Society of Anesthesiologists for the time spent with you before, during, and after your surgery.

5. Why didn’t my insurance pay?

Please call the patient services department at the number provided on your statement for more information on why your insurance claim was denied. If you disagree with the denial, please contact your insurance company.

6. Why is my anesthesiologist not in my network when my hospital and surgeon are?

Your anesthesiologist is separate from the hospital. Anesthesiologists are not required to contract with the same insurance companies as the hospital. It is the patients responsibility to verify that all providers are in network. While Grand Canyon Anesthesia works diligently to participate with as many insurance plans as possible, it may be out of network with some insurance plans due to multiple factors. The practice does work diligently to minimize hardship to any patients who may be affected by its non-participating status.

7. My insurance company says it needs anesthesia time.

Please notify us of this request at 602-343-2910 and we will contact your insurance company directly.

8. It seems that the hospital has also charged me for anesthesia. Why?

The hospital charges for any anesthesia medications, supplies, and disposable equipment used to monitor your status while you are under anesthesia. We bill for the professional services provided by the anesthesiologist.

9. What if I have no insurance?

SMB will make every attempt to assist those who have no insurance coverage. We offer several plans, including pre-payment with a negotiated discount.

10. What payment methods do you accept?

SMB accepts cash, personal or cashier’s check, money order, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express.

11. Which insurance carriers do you accept?

Please call our patient services department to verify if we are a participating provider, or contact your insurance company for a list of providers. Many insurance companies have websites where you can search for a provider in your area. While Grand Canyon Anesthesia works diligently to participate with as many insurance plans as possible, it may be out of network with some insurance plans due to multiple factors. The practice does work diligently to minimize hardship to any patients who may be affected by its non-participating status.

12. Can I get an estimate of my anesthesia cost?

If you will be having surgery in the near future and would like an estimate of the cost of the anesthesia charges, please call the SMB office during regular business hours.