Patients will be asked about their previous medical history, including any medical conditions, previous operations, and drug allergies.

It is also important to report any type of medication presently taken, including over-the-counter drugs. Typically, this includes hormones, water pills, aspirin, etc. (Aspirin can cause increased bleeding during and following surgery which may increase the risk of complications. Avoid aspirin for one month before any procedure.)

New Patient Pre-Registration

Follow the link below to pre-register online. MxRegister

Physical Examination

A complete pre-operative exam is performed before any procedure using I.V. sedation or general anesthesia. Ask your doctor if you want any additional blood tests like cholesterol, thyroid or other hormone assays. It can all be done with the same blood sample that we take for the tests we need.

Insurance When treatment is provided for conditions related to a previous injury, insurance benefits can be anticipated. This also applies for surgical procedures performed to improve function. Some benefits may even apply when the purpose of the surgery is to relieve psychological problems.

Purely cosmetic procedures ordinarily are not covered by insurance policies, although many abdominal procedures, where normal function is impaired, eyelid bag removals, nasal reconstructions and dermabrasions may qualify for some insurance coverage.

It is best to discuss your insurance situation with the staff before treatment. We have a highly experienced insurance staff that can help if at all possible. Every effort will be made to complete insurance claims promptly and answer whatever questions are required.

Keep in mind that all insurance policies are not the same. Any questions that the staff cannot answer should be referred to your insurance company.

Financing Financing is available for those patients qualifying with approved credit. We are not in the finance business. It is available through specialized finance companies that serve only board-certified plastic surgeons. We can take your application over the phone and fax it to the finance company and we usually get an approval the same day. Here are links to some financing company Web sites:

Cosmeticredit
www.cosmeticredit.com

MediCredit
www.medicredit.com

Reliance Finance Corporation
www.reliancemedicalfinance.com

Accommodations

Recommended Accomodations:
Tahoe Valley Lodge
800-669-7544
http://www.tahoevalleylodge.com/tahoeclinic.html

The clinic is located on the waterfront in South Lake Tahoe, California at 589 Tahoe Keys Blvd.

Transportation

By Car:

• Take highway 50E from Sacramento
• Take highway 395N from Los Angeles
• Take highway 395S from Reno to Carson City then highway 50W to South Lake Tahoe, CA

By Bus:

• Greyhound serves South Lake Tahoe with a terminal in Harrah's casino.
• Take a taxi to the clinic.

By Airplane:

• Fly to Reno then take the Airport Casino Express to Harrah's at South Lake Tahoe and a short taxi ride to the clinic.

By Private Plane:

• To South Lake Tahoe, CA year round.
• 8,000 ft. runway 18-36, tower days only.
• 2 mile taxi ride to the clinic.

Complaints

Any concerns regarding patient care and safety should be given directly to Dr. Foster during your visit. If you think it cannot wait for the next visit, you may contact him on his cell phone 24/7 at (530) 545-8937.

If your concerns are not satisfactorily resolved by Dr. Foster, you may contact the Joint Commission's Office of Quality Monitoring at 1 (800) 994-6610 or e-mail them at complaint@jcaho.org.