Do I need a referral? You do not need a referral if your child has Georgia Medicaid, PeachCare, AmeriGroup, or Care Source. If your child has a different type of insurance, you may or may not need a your physician to make a referral thru your insurance company. Whether or not you need a referral for insurance purposes, the child’s parent or guardian should call to make the new patient appointment.
What insurances do you accept? We currently accept Georgia Medicaid, PeachCare, AmeriGroup, Wellcare and Care Source. We also accept many commercial insurances including Aetna, Cigna, Anthem/BCBS, United Heathcare, Memorial Health Partners and Taylor Benefit Resource. We no longer accept PeachState/AmBetter as of October 2017. We no longer accept Tricare as of May 2018. Patients with commercial insurance are expected to pay for their visit on the day of service unless they provide documentation that their deductible has been met.
My child has PeachState. What can I do? You can call Georgia Medicaid and ask to have your child’s CMO changed because you need access to a specialist who does not accept your current CMO.
My child was diagnosed ADHD but medications have not worked or caused too many side effects. Can you help? Yes, Dr. Zeanah enjoys finding the perfectly tailored treatment for challenging cases of inattention that interferes with learning or daily life.
Do you provide second opinions? Absolutely.
How can new patients be seen sooner? Patients who have returned the new patient paperwork, activated their parent portal account and sent a portal message requesting to be on the cancellations list are placed at the top of our cancellations list.
Can you help my child without using medication? Yes. Medication is not the only solution for most problems.
My child is difficult to handle and I don’t know why. Can Dr. Zeanah help us figure out what the problem is? Absolutely.
Does Dr. Zeanah diagnose autism? Yes, Dr. Zeanah does evaluations for autism spectrum disorder and diagnoses autism.
Can Dr. Zeanah help my autistic child get ABA? Yes. Our office can perform the CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale) and provide written documentation of your child’s autism severity in a format accepted by Georgia Medicaid and most insurances. Dr. Zeanah will also provide a physician’s order for ABA therapy.
Why did the office change its name to Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia? Our office has grown to include other behavioral health providers. The new name reflects that we are a team, not just a solo physician.
What services does Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia offer? Diagnosis, medical management, medication management, applied behavioral analysis, counseling, cognitive behavior therapy, social skills training, parent training and solution-focused therapy.
Do you provide services via telemedicine? Yes. We plan to continue to provide physician services and some other services by telemedicine.
Why do you only see patients located in Georgia? Our team is licensed to see patients in Georgia. A license for the state in which the patient is located is legally required.
How can I get on the waiting list for ABA at Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia? Only active patients are currently able to be placed on our ABA waiting list. Preference is given to children living within 20 minutes of the office. Please call or send a portal message asking for your child to be placed on our list.
Can Dr. Zeanah help my child get SSI? Our office responds to records requests from the Social Security Administration. Rarely do we specifically write letters recommending that a patient be granted SSI. Our goal is to help your child function so well that they would not be considered “disabled”.
I heard vaccines can cause autism. Is this true? No. Hundreds of high-quality scientific research studies have demonstrated that vaccines do not cause or increase the risk of autism.
I missed my appointment and now my child is out of medicine. Can Dr. Zeanah give another refill? Probably not until your child is seen. Dr. Zeanah follows standards of care regarding refills.
My child needs treatment for substance abuse. Can Dr. Zeanah help? No. Dr. Zeanah has no training in the treatment of substance abuse.
My child is hearing voices/seeing things that are not there. Can Dr. Zeanah help? Dr. Zeanah thinks hallucinations are best treated by a psychiatrist.
My child is suicidal or talking about suicide. What should I do? Call Georgia’s Crisis Hotline at 1-800-715-4225. They can assess your child and help you develop a plan. Dr. Zeanah thinks suicidality is best treated by a psychiatrist.
Does Dr. Zeanah manage bipolar disorder? No. Dr. Zeanah thinks bipolar is typically better managed by a psychiatrist.
Why did Dr. Zeanah leave primary care? Please read Dr. Zeanah’s letter to former patients
Is Dr. Zeanah board certified? Yes, Dr. Zeanah is board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties in general pediatrics.
Can you be my child’s medical home? No. Your child will need a primary care provider.
Will you send information to my child’s primary care provider? We would be happy to. Please remind us that you would like a consult note faxed to your child’s PCP.