Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Insurance
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With which insurance plans do you participate?
All our physicians participate with Medicare. As far as private insurance is concerned, not all our doctors participate in the same plans. Please visit Our Insurances Accepted page where you can search for by Insurance Carrier for more information.
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The doctor I want to see does not participate with my insurance. What can be done?If you have out-of-network benefits, we will assist you in billing your insurance. Please contact the Practice Site Administrator at the location of your choice for full details. Go to our Locations page, click your office location, and call the number listed to speak to a Practice Site Administrator. You can also contact your insurance company to see if they can make a network exception for your care. With such an authorization from your plan, you could see a non-participating doctor and only have to pay your in-network co-payment. If you do not have out-of-network benefits or an exception from your insurance plan, please contact the Practice Site Administrator at the physician’s office to obtain details about direct payment.
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How Do Deductibles, Coinsurance and Copays Work?When both you and your health insurance company pay part of your medical expense, it’s called cost sharing. Deductibles, coinsurance and copays are all examples. Understanding how they work will help you know when and how much you must pay for care.
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General questions
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Have a clinical question (e.g., medications, prescription renewals, treatment options, or an existing condition)?
For questions related to your medical care, please use MyChart, our secure patient portal, to send a message to your care team or request a prescription renewal. If you do not have a MyChart account please click here to sign up, or need immediate assistance, please contact your physician’s office directly. Visit our Locations page to find your office's phone number. Please note: MyChart messages are not intended for emergencies. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.
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What are the hours of operation?Generally, the offices are open from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM during the weekdays. We also offer Saturday hours at select locations. When the office is closed, an answering service for the practice will take your call.
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What Happens During A Typical Appointment with An ENT Specialist?
A visit to an ENT specialist or otolaryngologist is different from atypical visit to your primary physician, as the specialist may use instrumentation to allow better visualization of difficult areas affecting the EAR, NOSE, THROAT, ALLERGIES, and HEARING LOSS.
Outlined below is what to expect from a general ENT visit, however, depending on the symptoms of the patient, the consultation may vary, tailoring the history and the examination to the patient’s complaint and presenting symptoms.
It is also important that the past medical history and medication (always bring a current list with you) being used should be documented, as this may have relevance if one requires surgery later. The history will become focused on the presenting complaint and its effect on the individual.
A thorough examination is usually undertaken, but some aspects of the examination outlined below may not be performed if not relevant to the complaint.
EAR: An otoscope is an instrument used to examine the ears and illuminate the eardrum, so that the surgeon can identify normal benchmarks and irregularities. This instrument is made with an illuminating handheld light source with a small amount of magnification attached to it. It is not typically a painful experience and can usually be undertaken in all age groups. In addition, the use of tuning forks as a gauge of hearing may sometimes be used as part of the consultation. However, sometimes it is required to undertake formal hearing tests to ascertain a more exact level of hearing. Occasionally, the eardrum and canal need to be viewed under magnification and a microscope can be used to provide this. The microscope allows the physician a more precise view of the ear structures and the use of suction if necessary, to remove wax or debris from an ear canal.
NOSE: To look at the front of the nose, a simple tool called a nasal speculum together with illumination from a headlight is used to visualize the anatomy and possible abnormalities. In many cases, a flexible instrument called a fiberoptic scope as described below might be used to inspect the nose and throat more thoroughly.
THROAT: An external examination of the neck is not uncommon to feel for any glands or pathology. This is undertaken manually feeling the different areas of the neck in a methodical fashion. The oral cavity is thoroughly examined often with a tongue depressor and good illumination to visualize the tongue and tonsillar area. It is not uncommon to visualize the back of the nose and the vocal cords with a flexible nasolaryngoscope. This is a fine fiberoptic cable with a small lens on one end and an eyepiece on the other that is inserted into the nose. The nasal passageway will be sprayed with an anesthetic prior to insertion of the scope. During Insertion of the scope, it might feel a bit strange, however, it is essential to allow the surgeon a superb view of areas that are very difficult to examine otherwise. The whole procedure usually takes a few minutes, and it is often required as part of a thorough ENT examination.
The summary above is provided as a guide to the full ENT examination, which may be completely undertaken or tailored to an individual’s need.
The ENT specialist may perform a procedure called a laryngoscopy or nasal endoscopy with a thin flexible instrument that has a lighted magnifying tip which is passed through the nose. This additional procedure is essential to discover the cause of voice and breathing problems, ear or throat pain, difficulty swallowing, narrowing, blockages or even tumors or cancer.
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Do All of the Physicians at ENTA Treat Children?All otolaryngologists at ENTA are trained in medicine and surgery of the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck for adult and pediatric patients. However, not all physicians treat children. Please refer to our full roster of pediatric specialists.
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Medical records
- Accessing Your Medical Records
- With the transition to MyChart, your historical ENT & Allergy Associates medical records will remain available through InteliChart until February 28, 2027. Your historical ENT & Allergy Associates records will not transfer to MyChart. If you would like to keep copies of your past medical information, please access InteliChart and download or save your records before access ends.
- Through February 28, 2027 - View Your Historical Records in InteliChart
- You can continue signing in to InteliChart to view your historical ENT & Allergy Associates medical records through February 28, 2027. Please review and download or save any information you would like to keep before access ends.
- Beginning March 1, 2027 - InteliChart Access Ends
- InteliChart will no longer be available after February 28, 2027. You will continue using MyChart for your ENT & Allergy Associates patient portal needs. Please make sure to retrieve any historical records you wish to retain before InteliChart access ends.
- Link Your Medical Records from Other Healthcare Providers
- MyChart also allows you to connect with other healthcare organizations that use MyChart, making it easier to view your health information from multiple participating providers in one place.
Once your ENT & Allergy Associates MyChart account is activated, you can link other participating healthcare organizations to your account. Please note that adding ENT & Allergy Associates to your MyChart app does not connect records from other healthcare providers. You must complete the account-linking process for each participating organization to access their available medical records.
- Accessing Your Medical Records
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How are these virtual visits handled? Payment for virtual visits?Commercial Insurance carriers as well as Medicare have temporarily expanded their telehealth coverage to respond to the current Public Health Emergency. During this time, you will be able to receive evaluation and management services through telehealth visits (common office visits). This will help ensure you are able to visit with your doctor from your home, without having to go to a doctor’s office or hospital, which puts you and others at risk of exposure to COVID-19. Many commercial insurance carriers have agreed to waive co-pays for virtual visits. Therefore, we will not be collecting co-payment at the time of service but will follow your insurance carriers explanation of benefits regarding billing. Medicare may assess your usual coinsurance and deductible for these services.
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Patient Portal
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How do I access MyChart, ENTA's Patient Portal?
ENT & Allergy Associates uses MyChart, a secure and convenient patient portal that allows you to manage your healthcare anytime, anywhere. To get started, click Patient Portal at the top of any page on our website. You can sign in with your existing MyChart credentials or create an account if you are a new user.
With MyChart, you can:
- View your medical records, including test results and visit summaries.
- Schedule and manage appointments online.
- Send secure messages to your care team.
- Request prescription renewals.
- Complete eCheck-In before your appointment.
- View billing statements and securely pay your bills.
- Manage your healthcare information and communication preferences.
You can also access MyChart on the go by downloading the MyChart mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Need help activating, accessing, or navigating MyChart? Our team is here to help. Call (201) 884-5069 or email Mychart@entandallergy.com
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Patient portal questions/issues?
You can email mychart@entandallergy.com or call (201) 884-5069 to speak to one of our patient service agents.
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Billing
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I already paid my co-payment for the date of service on my statement. Why am I being billed for this again?
There are several possibilities, including:
- You had a previous visit with an open balance and your payment was applied to that older balance
- Another member of your family, for whom you are the guarantor, had an older open balance and your payment was applied there
- Our payments are not usually posted to your account on the same day you pay them. If the date of the statement is close to the date of your payment, it is possible that they crossed in the mail.
- Your insurance company required an additional co-pay. Some insurance companies (e.g. GHI, POMCO, Empire Plan) require an additional co-pay for certain diagnostic procedures. This is a requirement put into place by your insurance carrier, not by ENT & Allergy Associates.
If none of these answers seem to apply, please send your payment receipt or copy of cancelled check to PO Box 5001, White Plains, NY 10602-5001, fax to 914-333-2545, or email Questions@ENTandAllergy.com.
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If questions about my ENTA billing statement, who can I contact?
Please send your payment receipt or copy of the canceled check to:
U.S. MAIL:
P.O. Box 5001White Plains, NY 10602-5001Fax: 914-418-9300
Billing Email Address: questions@entandallergy.com
Please remember to include the patient's name and account number in all correspondence.
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Can I pay my bill online?Yes, you can pay your bill online by clicking Bill Pay at the top of any page. You will be redirected to our payment page where you can then fill out your information to pay your bill.
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Appointments
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How can I make an appointment when the office is closed?
You can schedule an appointment online anytime, 24/7! Simply visit our Book an Appointment page to find a provider, select a location, and book an appointment that works for you. No MyChart account is required.
If you already have a MyChart account, you can also sign in to schedule and manage your appointments through our secure patient portal.
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How do I schedule an appointment online?
Scheduling an appointment with ENT & Allergy Associates is quick and easy! Simply click Book an Appointment or visit your preferred provider's profile or office location page and select Book Appointment to get started.
You can schedule directly through our website without a MyChart account. If you already have a MyChart account, you can also sign in to schedule and manage your appointments through our secure patient portal.
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How do I cancel or reschedule an appointment?
If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, you can do so conveniently through MyChart, our secure patient portal. Simply log in, navigate to your upcoming appointments, and select the option to cancel or reschedule, if available.
If you do not have a MyChart account, please click here to activate, or contact your physician's office directly. You can find your office's phone number on our Locations page.
Locations in NY, NJ, PA & TX | ENT & Allergy Associates
Our locations throughout NY, NJ, PA & TX provide expert ENT, allergy and audiology care to patients. Find the location closest to you now.
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Physicians
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Do physicians check their messages outside their office?Yes - all physicians check their portal daily. If you have not heard back from a physician, please call 1-855-ENTA-DOC to speak with one of our patient service agents.
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How can I request a prescription refill?
You can conveniently request prescription renewals through MyChart, our secure patient portal. Simply log in, navigate to your medications, and select the option to request a renewal. Your care team will review your request and follow up as needed. If you do not have a MyChart account, please click here to activate, or contact your physician's office directly.
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Can I contact my doctor when the office is closed?
Yes! You can send a secure message to your care team anytime through MyChart, our patient portal. Simply log in to MyChart and select the messaging option to contact your care team regarding non-urgent medical questions.
Please note that messages are reviewed during regular business hours and may not receive an immediate response. For urgent medical concerns after hours, please call your physician's office to reach the on-call provider. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.
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What do our physicians specialize in?
- Adult Otolaryngology: Our ear nose and throat doctors can diagnose and manage diseases of the sinuses, larynx (voice box) oral cavity, and upper pharynx (mouth and throat), as well as structures of the neck and face. Otolaryngologists also diagnose, treat, and manage specialty-specific disorders and many advanced primary care problems in both children and adults.
- Allergy, Asthma, Immunology: treatment by medication, immunotherapy (allergy shots) and/or avoidance of pollen, dust, mold, food, and other sensitivities that affect the ear, nose, and throat. Treating: hay fever, seasonal and perennial rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, laryngitis, sore throat, otitis media, dizziness.
- Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: cosmetic, functional, and reconstructive surgical treatment of abnormalities of the face and neck and ear. Treating: deviated septum, rhinoplasty (nose), face lift, cleft palate, drooping eyelids, hair loss and other ear deformities.
- Head and Neck: cancerous and noncancerous tumors in the head and neck (nose/sinuses, mouth, throat, voice box and upper esophagus), including the thyroid and parathyroid. Treating: lump in the neck or thyroid, cancer of the voice box.
- Laryngology: disorders of the throat, including voice and swallowing problems. Treating: sore throat, hoarseness, swallowing disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), infections and tumors.
- Otology / Neurotology: diseases of the ear, including trauma (injury), infection, benign tumors, and nerve pathway disorders, which affect hearing and balance. Treating: ear infection; swimmer’s ear; hearing loss; ear, face, or neck pain; dizziness, ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
- Pediatric Otolaryngology: diseases in children with special ENT problems including birth defects of the head and neck and developmental delays. Treating: ear infection (otitis media), tonsil and adenoid infection, airway problems, asthma and allergy/sinus disease, neck tumors.
- Rhinology: disorders of the nose and sinuses. Treating: sinus disorder, nose bleed, stuffy nose, loss of smell, polyps, tumors.
- Sleep Services
- Advanced Sinus/Skull Base…and more! Visit our Services page to see an advanced list and descriptions of our Patient Services.
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Less Sick Days, More Living