Los Alamos Medical Center. Courtesy photo

LAMC News:

Local physician group Jemez Mountain Emergency Physicians currently provides the physician services for the Emergency Department at Los Alamos Medical Center. Dr. Kristy Ontiveros is the Medical Director of the group, and the group is made up of board certified, residency trained physicians. 

There were questions recently at the hospital and Los Alamos National Laboratory about the in network status of the Jemez Mountain physician group with New Mexico Blue Shield. The physician group confirms that although it does not have a direct contract with Blue Shield, they do accept their payment and patients do not receive a remaining balance bill. Patients are responsible for the deductibles or copays under their plan, but there should ultimately be no out of pocket difference to them.

Informational handouts are provided to any patient with NMBS who comes to the Emergency Department at Los Alamos Medical Center, as well as a dedicated customer service contact available to answer any questions. The group only receives two to three calls from patients monthly relating to the network status, and they try to resolve any patient inquiries within the same day.

“It is important to us that the community know that they don’t have to drive off the hill for quality care, they can be seen quickly in the Emergency Department by our excellent physicians and hospital staff,” Dr. Kristy Ontiveros said. “We are very proud of the Emergency Department having the #1 patient satisfaction ranking for most of the last year within the hospital system that LAMC is part of.”

For information, contact Dawn Sears at 505.662.1572.