Frequently Asked Questions Received by Staff of Viewpoint Endocrinology
ANSWER: Insurance companies require that we have records of face-to-face encounters that are intended to discuss your case and to prescribe treatment and medications.
ANSWER: Each insurance plan is different. Some policies include a deductible amount that must be paid by the patient before the insurance company will pay. Some plans require the patient to cover a copay or coinsurance percentage. Your insurance sets these charges, so please contact your insurance plan to understand your responsibility.
ANSWER: A copay is a requirement from the insurance plan and when paid it will prevent the patient from having a balance with us.
ANSWER: This is not accepted practice because everyone has sudden, unexpected circumstances arise so it all evens out over time. We understand the inconvenience and contact patients as soon as possible when a provider is unavailable.
ANSWER: yes, per patient agreement that is signed at time of establishing care. We don’t charge patients unless they no-call, no-show.
ANSWER: Dr. Kimmel will be assuming a supporting role in 2026 and will remain available for consultation on individual cases through our staff providers. As owner of the practice, his goal is to facilitate a seamless transition for you to continue your same plan of care with one of our providers who has worked closely with him on your case.
ANSWER: no
ANSWER: Office hours are 7:30 AM to 5 PM weekdays (Monday through Friday). Each provider has specific days and hours within the general office hours.
ANSWER: 253-604-4703
Robert Kimmel, MD
Julia Kelley, ARNP, CDE,
Margo Dailey, ARNP
Roseanna Camacha, ARNP
ANSWER: 1029 EAST MAIN, SUITE 104, PUYALLUP, WA 98372
ANSWER: 1029 EAST MAIN, SUITE 104, PUYALLUP, WA 98372
ANSWER: We treat disorders of metabolism, like diabetes mellitus polycystic ovary syndrome, and obesity, and disorders of thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, parathyroid, bone loss. kidney stones, thyroid cancer, thyroid nodules, low testosterone, and other less common endocrinopathies such as multiple endocrine neoplasia, and autoimmune polyglandular syndrome
ANSWER: Usually not for initial appointments. Most follow-up appointments require labs or other tests to be completed and resulted in time for the appointment. Laboratory tests most often require samples to be submitted 10-14 days prior to an expected appointment, at any Quest/Lab Corp location or facility designated by your provider. Your provider may have more specific instructions for testing. Be sure to receive a printed copy of your test instructions.
ANSWER: Your provider may recommend using specific laboratories for specific reasons, tests or situations. We order tests most frequently at Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp, and Laboratories Northwest. Results from other labs may be accepted by agreement between patients and providing clinicians.
ANSWER: Allow ten days for lab tests to be processed and results to be posted, unless your provider indicates otherwise. This is important since some tests take only two days, some (like biopsy results) may take two weeks, and others require a specific sequence of tests on different days. There may be longer processing times during holidays. Instructions for complex tests are provided as printouts during an office visit.
ANSWER: Unless you were instructed otherwise, it is best to fast except for water, after midnight the night before the blood draw or specimen collection.
We accept most major commercial plans, and most Medicare plans, but we are NOT accepting Medicaid plans currently. Contact your insurance plan to check if we are contracted or in-network with your specific plan.
ANSWER: Yes, we accept most major Medicare plans. Contact your insurance plan to check if we are contracted or in network with your specific plan.
ANSWER: Not at this time, unless you have already been accepted at our clinic under Medicaid within the past three years.
ANSWER: In general, the answer is “yes”, because this allows us to receive important historical and technical information from the referring provider, which will help to expedite your request and to focus more accurately on your problem. But we will consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
ANSWER FOR NEW PATIENTS: Current wait time for new patients is about 2-3 months. However, we can make exceptions to this estimate for more urgent (but not emergent) problems if such urgency can be recommended and justified by another provider. You can also elect to be placed on a waiting list if you are able to attend clinic for an appointment on the spur of the moment due to an opening created by another patient’s cancellation.
ANCWER FOR ESTABLISHED PATIENTS: Current wait time for follow-up appointments is generally several weeks. You can also elect to be placed on a waiting list if you are able to attend clinic for an appointment on the spur of the moment due to an opening created by another patient’s cancellation. Note that if you haven’t been seen at our clinic for more than three years, you will be considered a new patient.
ANSWER: Type 1 diabetes mellitus results from the complete lack of insulin due to destruction of the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, usually by an autoimmune process. This definition does NOT include end-stage Type 2 diabetes mellitus in which insulin levels fall off dramatically. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is due to resistance to insulin action, often due to a metabolic tendency, obesity, chronic infection or inflammation, certain drugs, especially steroids like prednisone, hydrocortisone, dexamethasone and the like.
Yes.
ANSWER: The vitamin “biotin” should be discontinued for at least TWO DAYS prior to collecting blood, urine, and saliva samples. The reason is that biotin interferes with many lab tests and can result in incorrect results. High-dose biotin is often included in “hair, skin, and nail” growth supplements.
ANSWER: You can take a missed dose the next day along with the usual dose for that day.