Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Interior of Dr. Cohan's Patient Waiting Area
What's the latest news about Dr. Cohan's medical practice?
Anyone familiar with the medical care system in the United States has noticed a number of unfortunate changes. Healthcare has become more impersonal than ever. Insurance bureaucracy has become a cumbersome and frustrating burden for patients and doctors. As a result, patient care and doctor-patient relationships suffer. In response to this, Dr. Cohan is pursuing an ambitious model for medical care which will:
- Provide his patients with easily accessible health care services from a physician who is committed to a personalized approach and the highest professional expertise and ethics.
- Enable him to spend more time with each patient by more sensibly balancing cost and quality and by limiting the size of his practice.
- Integrate your medical care by providing access to the finest medical specialists in a single state-of-the-art setting.
- Utilize the most advanced medical technology to streamline the diagnosis and ongoing management of your medical issues.
- Eliminate complex insurance paperwork and provide free courtesy insurance billing services (at no additional cost to you) so that you can get reimbursed quickly and hassle-free for your office visits.
What are Dr. Cohan's areas of expertise?
Dr. Cohan is, first and foremost, an adult primary care specialist (that's what the term "Internal Medicine" means.) He is your general doctor for common medical problems and he coordinates your care with any subspecialist doctors that you might consult. Additionally, Dr. Cohan has special expertise in treating people living with HIV infection, male aging issues (like testosterone replacement and erectile dysfunction) and cutting-edge treatments for substance dependence.Where is Dr. Cohan' medical practice located?
Dr. Cohan’s office is located at 150 North Robertson Boulevard in Beverly Hills -- the same office building building in which he has been practicing medicine for the past fifteen years.
Dr. Cohan's office is inside the Robertson Diagnostic Center which has its offices on the first floor of the Beverly Hills Medical Plaza Building in Suite 115 (located directly to the left of the main elevators and through the large glass doors).What is the Robertson Diagnostic Center?
The Robertson Diagnostic Center (RDC) opened in May 2004 as a state-of-the-art medical facility providing comprehensive medical services to adult clients. RDC has onsite specialists in General Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Podiatry, Pulmonology, Sports Medicine and Rheumatology. RDC's board-certified physicians not only provide routine medical care but also advanced laboratory testing, digital x-ray examinations, colonoscopy procedures, cardiac stress testing, bone density scans and pulmonary function evaluations.For what type of patient is the RDC designed?
People who value their health, their time, and who are motivated to participate in their own well being will benefit most from this new model for medical care. RDC is designed to provide first-class medical care and fast, easy access to your personal physician.Are there real advantages to seeing Dr. Cohan instead of my current "managed-care" doctor?
Yes. We believe that you will be pleasantly surprised by the improvements in service. Your office visits will not be hurried and we can guarantee same-day office appointments for urgent matters. Even more importantly, you will have fast, direct access to Dr. Cohan. In this era of depersonalized "conveyor belt" medicine, establishing a personal and enduring relationship with your doctor should prove to be invaluable.How much time will the doctor spend with me?
All the time you need.Is Doctor Cohan accepting new patients?
Yes. If you are a new patient, he will spend at least one hour with you on your first visit to take a detailed medical history, perform a physical examination, and draw blood for initial studies. A follow-up consultation will be scheduled for approximately two weeks after the initial meeting to review the results of your tests and to create a comprehensive health plan for you.How can I make an appointment to see Dr. Cohan?
Call Dr. Cohan’s office at 310-657-6900 to schedule an appointment.If I've been a patient at another medical practice or a patient of Dr. Cohan's at his former practice, how do I have my medical records transferred to Dr. Cohan's current medical practice?
In accordance with federal patient privacy regulations, you will need to request that your medical records from your previous doctor be copied and sent directly to Dr. Cohan or to you. This is a simple, one-step process -- you just sign a "medical records release form" and mail or fax it to your previous doctor. To obtain a medical records release form please click here.Does Dr. Cohan see "walk-in” patients?
Although "walk-in" visits are not encouraged, we can guarantee same-day service with Dr. Cohan in urgent situations for established patients. We ask that you call the office in advance so that we may prepare for your visit and try to avoid having you wait while you are not feeling well.What happens if I am running late or if I need to cancel my appointment?
It is very important that you arrive 15 minutes early for your appointment since Dr. Cohan is one of the very few doctors who actually sees his patients on time. If you need to reschedule your appointment for any reason, please make sure that you call the office at least 24 hours in advance to avoid any missed appointment charges.Which hospital does Dr. Cohan use?
Dr. Cohan is on the attending staff of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Patients requiring inpatient hospital admission are now cared for by the Cedars-Sinai Hospitalist Service -- a dedicated team of in-hospital doctors who specialize in the care of patients with acute medical problems. The Hospitalist Team communicates daily with Dr. Cohan and arranges for all inpatient testing, specialist consultations, nursing care, and discharge planning. The main telephone number for Cedars Sinai Medical Center is 310-423-5000.With what other doctors does Doctor Cohan work?
The board-certified physician colleagues with whom Dr. Cohan works in his medical offices are:
- Susan Azad, M.D. (Internal Medicine)
- Bob Baravarian, D.P.M. (Podiatry)
- Arash Bereliani (Cardiology)
- Noel Boyle, M.D. (Cardiology)
- Justin Braverman, M.D. (Bariatric Surgery)
- Jill Broffman, M.D. (Internal Medicine)
- Michael Brousseau, M.D. (Internal Medicine)
- Dahlia Carr, M.D. (Rheumatology)
- Pejman Cohan, M.D. (Endocrinology)
- Marc Edelstein, M.D. (Gastroenterology)
- Dennis Evangelatos, M.D. (Internal Medicine)
- David Frisch, M.D. (Internal Medicine and Cardiology)
- Robert Huizenga, M.D. (Internal Medicine)
- Robert Joseph, D.P.M. (Podiatry)
- Sheila Kar, M.D. (Cardiology)
- Robert Koblin, M.D. (Internal Medicine and Cardiology)
- Farhad Melamed, M.D. (Internal Medicine)
- Susan Mandel, M.D. (Internal Medicine)
- Brian Quebbemann, M.D., F.A.C.S. (Bariatric Surgery)
- Renee Rinaldi, M.D. (Rheumatology)
- David Soumekh, D.P.M. (Podiatry)
- Uttam Sinha, M.D. (Ear, Nose, Throat)
- Amy Weinberg, M.D. (Internal Medicine and Pulmonology)
Does Doctor Cohan take my insurance?
Dr. Cohan is designated as an "out-of-network" physician for all insurance plans. This means that the only difference from Dr. Cohan's previous medical practice is that you will be asked to pay for the doctor's fee at the time of service and then you can be reimbursed directly by your insurance carrier according to the terms of your particular insurance plan. With the exception of Medicare, you can still use your existing insurance for expensive services (like blood tests and cardiac stress tests) with no up-front cost to you.Does this mean that Dr. Cohan is not accepting patients with typical insurance plans?
No, that is not correct. You can still use your existing insurance plan (except Medicare) to see Dr. Cohan. However, you will have to take up-front financial responsibility for one aspect of your medical care -- the office visit fee.It is becoming increasingly common for top doctors like Dr. Cohan to "opt out" of direct involvement with managed care plans in order to focus on high quality medical care. Remember, that this patient responsibility only applies to the doctor's fee and in-office services, not to lab tests or other big ticket items like MRI's or CAT scans.
In many insurance plans, this type of care is covered under the "out of network" portion of your health care contract. Patients with "better-than-average" insurance coverage may be reimbursed for considerable portions of their medical expenses.
Additionally, the majority of Dr. Cohan's patients now have the option of establishing "Health Reimbursement Accounts" with their employers using pre-tax dollars to help cover their out-of-pocket medical costs.
Can you give me an example of how this billing process will work for me?
It's easy. After paying for the medical services you receive at the time of your office visit we will, as a complimentary courtesy service, submit the claim for reimbursement to your insurance carrier on your behalf. All payments and correspondence will go directly to you at your selected billing address. This way, you don't have to raise a finger or your blood pressure dealing with complex insurance forms.
For example, let's say that you consult Dr. Cohan for a medical problem and the office visit charge is $175. This amount may be paid by cash, check, credit card or debit card as you leave the office. We will then mail to your insurer a fully filled-out claim form that contains a detailed account of all of the services you received, the corresponding medical diagnosis codes and the exact amounts you paid to us. When we submit this form to your insurance carrier as a courtesy service for you, you will be reimbursed directly by your insurance carrier according to your personal insurance contract.Why does Dr. Cohan specifically exclude Medicare-covered patients?
Unfortunately, federal regulations require that Dr. Cohan electronically bill for and accept payment directly from Medicare for any Medicare-covered patient. Since Dr. Cohan's practice is completely focused on patient care, there is no infrastructure to meet this federal requirement. If you find yourself in this situation, we will be happy to refer you to one of the other doctors at the Robertson Diagnostic Center who does currently accept Medicare assignment.Many of my regular lab tests are quite expensive. How does Dr. Cohan handle lab billing?
One of the greatest benefits of Dr. Cohan's medical practice is that you DO NOT have to pay Dr. Cohan for your lab tests. You can use your existing insurance to have all of your lab tests drawn in Dr. Cohan's office and sent to an outside lab (e.g. West Coast Clinical Laboratories) which accepts almost every insurance plan. This way you don't have to pay for your lab tests up front.
If you do choose to have testing done in the office, please be assured that lab tests, x-rays, medications and all other in-office medical services are priced reasonably and competitively. Depending on your type of insurance coverage, your reimbursement may be substantial if you decide to pay at the time of service.If I have other questions, how should I contact Dr. Cohan
Please call the medical office at 310-657-6900. Dr. Cohan and his staff will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
