What Is the Difference Between Preventive and Problem-Focused Care?

Preventive Care

Care intended to help you stay healthy, such as an annual well-woman exam and recommended screenings.

Problem-Focused Care

Care that evaluates or treats a specific symptom, concern, diagnosis, or ongoing condition.

Not Sure Where to Start?

“I have a specific concern.”

You have a new symptom, feel unwell, or want to discuss a particular health problem.

Recommended: Problem-Focused Visit

“I’m due for a check-up.”

You feel well and want an annual preventive exam, screenings, or a general wellness check.

Recommended: Annual Physical Exam

Affordability & Payment Options

Insurance applies only to eligible medical services. Medical aesthetic treatments are primarily self-pay, with financing options available for qualified patients.

Medical care

Eligible women’s-health services may be submitted to insurance.

Aesthetic care

Self-pay; financing may be available. Insurance information is not used to price cosmetic treatments.

Navigating Your Care:
Insurance, Billing & Beyond

Insurance and medical billing can feel complicated. This guide explains what to check before your appointment, what may happen during your visit, and what to expect after care—so you can focus on your health.

How SHAE Works

Getting care shouldn’t feel complicated. Here’s how we make it simple, personalized, and built around you.

01  Confirm your coverage

Check your insurance coverage, or see our self-pay pricing.

02  Choose your care

Pick the visit that fits your needs, from an annual exam to a specific concern.

03  Book your first visit

Find a time that works for you.

04  Start your care plan

Get ongoing, personalized care that evolves with you.

How It Works

Getting care at SHAE should feel simple. Here is what to expect, from checking your coverage to starting your care plan.

01

Confirm your coverage

Check your insurance coverage with us, or review our self-pay pricing if you are paying out of pocket.
02

Choose your care

Pick the visit that fits your needs, from an annual well-woman exam to a specific concern.
03

Book your visit

Request an appointment at a time that works for you.
04

Start your care plan

Leave with a personalized plan and ongoing support from your SHAE provider.

Self-Pay Pricing

No insurance? No problem. Our self-pay pricing is transparent, with no hidden fees, so you know the cost before your visit. Flexible payment plans are available through our financing options.

New Patient / Office Visit

$175

Established Patient: $125

Includes a full consultation with a women’s health provider.

Great for:

Well Woman Exam

$399
Includes:

Vaginal Swab

$359
Includes:

Self-pay prices apply when a visit is not billed to insurance. Have questions about what is included? Contact us.

How do I know if I’m covered by insurance?

“Covered by insurance” does not always mean “paid in full by insurance.”

When a service is covered, your insurer has agreed to process it according to your plan. You may still owe a deductible, copay, or coinsurance.

The Good News: SHAE Accepts Most Major Insurance Plans

SHAE Women’s Health accepts many major plans for eligible women’s-health services. Network participation and benefits can vary by plan and service.

Women’s Health

Hormone Care

Medical Aesthetics

How to Avoid Unexpected Bills During Preventive Visits

1

Save symptoms for a separate visit

An annual preventive exam focuses on screening and wellness. A new symptom or active concern may be billed as diagnostic care.
2

Ask to keep it preventive

If a concern comes up, ask whether discussing or treating it that day could change how the visit is coded.
3

Know the difference in advance

Call your plan before the visit and ask how preventive, problem-focused, laboratory, and procedure services are covered.

SHAE Tip

Ask your insurance company: Is preventive care covered at 100%? Which screenings and labs are included? Is there a frequency limit? What happens if a preventive visit becomes diagnostic?

Cost-Sharing: The Big Four Explained

Your health plan may require you to pay part of the cost. These four terms explain how that share is calculated.

Deductible

The amount you pay for covered services before your plan begins sharing eligible costs.

Copay

A fixed amount you may pay for a visit, test, or prescription.

Coinsurance

A percentage of a covered service you may owe after meeting your deductible.

Out-of-Pocket Maximum

The most you pay for covered, in-network services during a plan year.

During Your Visit

What is the difference between Problem Visits vs. Preventative Care?

  • Preventive Care: Focuses on staying healthy (e.g., annual screening tests, health risk assessments).
  • Diagnostic Care: Focuses on figuring out or treating a specific problem or symptom (e.g., “Why does my ankle hurt?” “My periods have gotten really irregular”).

Most in-network insurance plans cover many preventive services at 100%, including:

  • Annual well-woman exams
  • Cervical cancer screenings (pap smears)
  • Blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol tests
  • STI screenings
  • Immunizations

However, most in-network insurance does not cover diagnostic services during preventive exams, which will incur extra costs.

What Is the Difference Between Preventive and Problem-Focused Care?

Preventive Care

Care intended to help you stay healthy, such as an annual well-woman exam and recommended screenings.

Problem-Focused Care

Care that evaluates or treats a specific symptom, concern, diagnosis, or ongoing condition.

Not Sure Where to Start?

“I have a specific concern.”

You have a new symptom, feel unwell, or want to discuss a particular health problem.

Recommended: Problem-Focused Visit

“I’m due for a check-up.”

You feel well and want an annual preventive exam, screenings, or a general wellness check.

Recommended: Annual Physical Exam

Not Sure Where to Start?

“I have a specific concern.”

You have a new symptom, feel unwell, or want to discuss a particular health problem.

Recommended: Problem-Focused Visit

“I’m due for a check-up.”

You feel well and want an annual preventive exam, screenings, or a general wellness check.

Recommended: Annual Physical Exam

Specialty Care & Referrals

If your needs extend beyond SHAE’s scope, your clinician can discuss appropriate next steps and help you understand how your plan’s referral rules may apply.

1

Consultation

Your clinician discusses the concern and whether specialty care is appropriate.
2

Coordination

We explain the next step and may guide you toward an in-network specialist.
3

Follow-up

Return to SHAE when appropriate so recommendations can be incorporated into your care.

After Your Visit

Payments & Reimbursements

Your insurer processes the claim first. SHAE then bills you for any amount your plan assigns to you.

How Billing Works

This is the typical medical-billing sequence. Timing and exact processing vary by insurance company.

1

SHAE submits a claim

Eligible services and billing codes are sent to your insurance company.
2

Insurance processes it

Your plan applies its coverage, deductible, copay, and coinsurance rules.
3

You receive an EOB

The Explanation of Benefits is not a bill; it shows how your insurer processed the claim.
4

SHAE sends any balance

If insurance assigns an amount to you, you receive a statement for that balance.

How Lab Billing Works

Laboratory testing may be processed and billed separately from your SHAE visit. Coverage and patient cost depend on the laboratory, test, and your individual plan.

Payment Methods, Superbills & Claims

Cards and HSA/FSA

Major cards may be used for patient balances. HSA/FSA eligibility is determined by your plan administrator.

Out-of-network reimbursement

If applicable, ask SHAE whether an itemized receipt or superbill is available, then confirm submission requirements with your insurer.

SHAE Tip

Keep your bill and EOB together. If the amounts do not match your expectations, call the insurer first to ask how the claim was processed, then contact SHAE with the EOB details.

Affordability & Payment Options

Insurance applies only to eligible medical services. Medical aesthetic treatments are primarily self-pay, with financing options available for qualified patients.

Medical care

Eligible women’s-health services may be submitted to insurance.

Aesthetic care

Self-pay; financing may be available. Insurance information is not used to price cosmetic treatments.

Top Insurance FAQ

Clear answers to common coverage and billing questions.

Contact SHAE with your plan name and member information, and also call the number on your insurance card. Final coverage is determined when your insurer processes the claim.

No. Your deductible, copay, coinsurance, network status, and the services performed determine what you may owe.

A preventive visit may include separately billable diagnostic care if you ask your clinician to evaluate or treat a symptom or condition.

Not necessarily. Laboratory services can be processed and billed separately, and coverage varies by test and plan.

Medical aesthetic services are generally self-pay. SHAE offers separate financing and rewards options for qualified patients.

Review your EOB, ask your insurer how the claim was processed, and then contact SHAE with the claim or EOB details so the billing question can be reviewed.

Still Have Questions?

Our team can help you prepare for your visit and point you toward the right next step. Your insurance company remains the final authority on benefits and payment.