Common questions

• Take I-35W to Roseville
• Take exit #25-A for County Road D
• At the top of the exit (from either direction), turn right on to County Road D
• Turn right (south) on to Cleveland Avenue North
• PHS is on the left (east) side of the road, 0.7 miles south of County Road D

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• Respiratory Therapy
• Infusion Therapy
• Infusion Pharmacy
• Private Duty Nursing
• Nutrition
• Medical Social Work

Yes. PHS provides private duty nurses who are specialized, licensed and experienced in pediatric care and the complexities of caring for medically-complex children in the home.

Monday through Friday 8a.m. to 5p.m., but we are available by phone 24/7

Office is closed on the following holidays:

• New Year's Day
• Memorial Day
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day as well as the day following Thanksgiving (Black Friday)
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

PHS service area includes Minnesota, western Wisconsin, northern Iowa, and eastern North and South Dakota. See coverage map to see if your area is included in our service area. Patients in outlying areas may be subject to review for ability to provide quality service versus using a local provider.

PHS does service adult patients. However, PHS specializes in the care of pediatric and adolescent patients.

8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Staff is also available to take orders from 7 to 8 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.

There are many charitable organizations that will accept your donation, including Global Health Ministries, a non-profit organization that provides supplies and equipment to those in need around the world.

Please contact PHS Billing department, Customer Service department or your PHS clinician prior to donating any equipment you've received from PHS to ensure the piece is patient owned and ready for donation.  You can contact PHS at 651-642-1825. 

This means this product is not routinely stocked on our warehouse shelves. We would need to order this supply for you when you request it. It can take 7 to 10 days for us to receive the product so it is important to plan ahead if your child routinely receives a non-stock item.

Statement of Medical Necessity: it is the order signed by your physician indicating your need for the product.

This number is very helpful for us if we have been trying to contact you regarding a product or piece of equipment that your child is receiving. It is also very important in the event of product or equipment recall.

A private pay waiver states that you will pay for the product in the event that your insurance will not cover the product/services. It is utilized for equipment/supplies that will likely be denied by your insurance.

Talk to your PHS clinician. If you do not have a clinician, a PHS Customer Service representative will be happy to discuss your needs and inform you of your options.

• Health Insurance Privacy and Portability Act (HIPAA)
• Patient confidentiality
• Verification

Call PHS and speak with your clinician or a customer service representative. They will get a verbal order from the physician and then a PHS staff member will contact you to schedule the pickup.

PHS provides comprehensive written educational materials to show families how to use a nebulizer.  Families also have the option to come to our office where a clinician can show them in-person how to use
the nebulizer.

Patient demographics and history, supplies, and equipment needed, previous provider information

It is best for you to make this arrangement with your previous provider. If you have questions/concerns regarding this process, please contact a PHS customer service representative to assist you.

Yes. Just as you are free to choose your own doctors and other health providers, you have the right to choose your homecare provider. It's okay to switch providers or to request PHS or another homecare provider.

PHS is accredited by The Joint Commission, has a Home Health license and is a member of Minnesota Home Care Association Pediatric Council.

PHS started January 1, 1990. For more than 20 years, we have served medically-complex children and adolescents of all acuity levels and have established a reputation for excellence that is nationally recognized.

Keep the equipment for at least 5 years from the time you no longer need the equipment. The insurance company expects you to use this equipment if your child ever needs it again. Store the equipment in a clean, dry area of your home.  

PHS cannot automatically ship orders to the home without first confirming that all items and quantities are medically necessary. We do offer a Call-out service. Simply request that a PHS customer service representative – or a person you designate – call you with a reminder at a time, day and interval that is convenient for you.

A new supply sheet is sent to the home monthly. If you have never received a supply sheet and you think it would be helpful, please contact your clinician or Customer Service Representative to have one created for you.

Review your Patient Supply Sheet, assessing your inventory on-hand. Complete an inventory of your on-hand supplies, using your PHS Supply Sheet as a guide. Have your supply sheet ready when you call PHS Customer Service at 651-642-1825 or toll-free 1-800-225-7477.

This will vary for each family. Most families find it works best if they have a set ordering frequency (ie. every other Monday/ the first Monday of each month). This helps eliminate over or under ordering a specific product. We send a maximum of a one-month supply per shipment. Patients can also sign up for PHS call-out service. A PHS representative will call you on a day and time designated by you within our business hours each week to see if an order needs to be placed. Call and ask to speak with a Customer Service Representative to schedule your call-out.

Regular business hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Staff is also available to take orders from 7 to 8 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.

Talk to your PHS clinician or a Customer Service Representative. They will make the necessary changes.

Having the item number when you call ensures you will receive the correct item.

If this is a product that you have received in the past, these numbers are located on your previous order forms. For patients who have multiple pieces of equipment, these numbers are also on the supply list provided to you.

Item description and ordering physician. We may also need to get some background or medical necessity information.

Contact PHS and we will work to obtain a Verbal Order from your physician. PHS will verify the patients insurance is active and check for coverage. Clinician intervention to ensure the product will fit with safe care plan

Insurance coverage may vary depending on the physician's orders. PHS also wants to ensure we are working from the most current and up to date information.

Because there are insurance requirements and any of our supplies require a physician's prescription in order for PHS to distribute to families.

Your PHS customer service representative can provide a list of providers at your destination. However, it is up to each patient/caregiver to make the necessary arrangements with the chosen provider.   

Yes. Fax orders to 651-638-0680.

Not at this time

For consistency of care, it is recommended to use one provider for all your medical equipment and supply needs. However, PHS would be happy to discuss your supply needs with you and help the ensure safe consistent care for your child on any products we can supply to you.

Call PHS and speak with a customer service representative as soon as you notice the error. They will make arrangements to correct the error.

A prior authorization is a document we send to insurance for review to determine if the item being requested will be covered by the insurance.

It depends on the insurance. It can take anywhere from two weeks to 30 days for the insurance to determine an outcome.

You can appeal the denial with your insurance company. If you don’t appeal, you have already received the item we would bill you privately for it.

The policy holder can call the insurance company to see if it can speed up the process.

You can receive the product before the outcome of the PA but a private pay waiver would be need to be signed, stating that in the event the insurance denies the item you will be financially responsible for that item.

We will call families with the outcome of the PA. You can call 651-642-1825 and ask for patient services to assist you in placing your order that has been approved by insurance.

Depending on the insurance a PA may be required for formula regardless of administration. If your child is orally fed, this will require a PA even if your child is tube fed when sick. 

We are able to provide services for the majority of insurance companies, however, some insurance companies require that you use a preferred in-network provider. The best way to determine if we meet your specific needs is to speak with one of our admissions specialists in Customer Service.

We do accept Wisconsin MA for Infusion Services only. We do not accept North Dakota or South Dakota MA for any services.

No

Contact a PHS customer service representative or billing representative.

Generally, insurance providers will allow a patient to receive quantities sufficient to last for one month.

This is usually based on medical necessity, but your insurance may have a limit on the quantity of items for which it will pay.

Your insurance may set a maximum quantity for an item. However, it may not be medically justifiable for the patient to receive that quantity.

The majority of the time we can let you know if your insurance will likely cover the service/product in question. If you have specific questions regarding the coverage it is best to contact your insurance company for assistance.

Every insurance policy is different. Some insurance policies only cover a portion of the cost of a supply or service. Some items may not be covered under that policy at all. The insurance company determines what/how much a product will be covered under your specific policy.

Feel free to discuss your concerns with your PHS clinician or customer service representative. Be prepared to give specific information relating to the usage of the product (frequency of usage, medical conditions, reasoning (medical justification).

Many payers limit quantities of items based on what they have determined to be "medically necessary." Your physician has signed a document called a "Statement of Medical Necessity" (SMN) for the items you receive. The SMN also specifies also has quantity for each specific supply you receive.

No. We will bill your insurance first and then send you a statement listing the amount that is your responsibility.

Your OOP expenses will depend upon the deductible and copay set by your insurance plan.

Frequently, benefit levels for durable medical equipment (DME) are different than your Major Medical coverage; you may have a 20% or more co-insurance on your DME coverage. If you do not have a secondary insurance, you will be responsible for that co-insurance amount.

Due to patient privacy laws, PHS must send all correspondence, including invoices, to the person listed as the Responsible Party on the initial set-up forms.

Unfortunately, a physician’s order is just one of the criteria required for insurance reimbursement. Neither PHS nor your physician can guarantee coverage of the service, equipment or supplies by your insurance. We highly recommend you contact your insurance carrier directly to clarify your benefits. Many insurance companies have medical necessity criteria that must be met: criteria that cannot be determined until the claim has been processed.

Please contact anyone in the Billing Department at PHS. We’ll be happy to make payment arrangements.

PHS does not bill for co-insurance or deductible amounts until your insurance company has correctly processed the claim we send them. Sometimes, especially if there is some dispute with the claim, this may take several months.

A private pay waiver states that you will pay for the product in the event that your insurance will not cover the product/services. It is utilized for equipment/supplies that will likely be denied by your insurance.

The warranty period of each product varies, depending on the manufacturer.

No. Supplies that have been shipped out to the home cannot be returned to PHS for a refund.

There are many charitable organizations that will accept your donation, including Global Health Ministries, a non-profit organization that provides supplies and equipment to those in need around the world.

Please contact PHS Billing department, Customer Service department or your PHS clinician prior to donating any equipment you've received from PHS to ensure the piece is patient owned and ready for donation.  You can contact PHS at 651-642-1825. 

If you believe a product is defective, DO NOT throw it away. If possible, keep the package the product was in, and contact PHS Customer Service to discuss.

Due to international security requirements and customs delays, PHS does not ship supplies outside the USA.

PHS will ship disposable supplies to any destination within the USA. Please call Customer Service in advance to allow enough time for appropriate planning. Providing at least one week's notice allows PHS to ensure availability of supplies and timely delivery to the requested destination.

Your PHS customer service representative will require the following information:

• Patient's name
• Travel destination (complete address)
• Is there a specific person at the destination that needs to be noted (Attn: or C/O)?
• Date of arrival or date supplies will be required at the destination
• Length of stay
• The list of necessary supplies

Families will be responsible for ensuring they have all necessary products, accessories (power cords etc.), and medical supplies for the duration of their stay.

Should families need supplies or accessories, PHS will ship to their destination via regular ground shipping, which could take up to 3 to 5 business days to arrive. If needed sooner, families will be responsible for locating and purchasing from another provider, or they should go to the local hospital. PHS will not overnight products to families when traveling away from home.

Families are responsible for transporting their equipment. If requested, PHS will deliver appropriate shipping boxes for the safe transportation of medical equipment.

Yes, PHS can deliver your supplies to another location (daycare, school, or alternate delivery address) upon request. Just speak with a customer service representative.

Your PHS customer service representative should be able to let you know the status of your backorder. However, you may be asked for a call–back phone number so that proper research may be completed.

Unfortunately, PHS does not offer same day delivery.

You can stop by our office, during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday), to pick up any urgently needed, regularly stocked supplies. We recommend calling ahead to ensure product availability.

We are conveniently located in Roseville, right off of 35W, between County Road C & County Road D.

Formula may often be purchased over-the-counter in small quantities until your order arrives.
Some items may be washed and reused, or a readily available alternative may be used temporarily. Please ask to discuss your situation with a PHS clinician.

Yes, during regular business hours between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

PHS regular business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. However, we often have staff in the building until 7 p.m. If you are unable to pick your order up before 5 p.m., please call the office to make arrangements with after-hours staff.

No, PHS does not charge for standard delivery of supply orders.

Orders placed before 2 p.m. can be expected at the home in 1 to 2 business days, except in cases of severe weather or when product is not available.

Unfortunately for deliveries shipped via a delivery service, packages will arrive based on the driver’s route. If you need an order to arrive at a specific time, consult with a PHS customer service representative to discuss delivery options.

To allow for weather and other unforeseen circumstances, we advise you place your order when you have about a 4-to-6 day supply remaining. Non-stock items (items PHS does not keep in our warehouse) will require more planning. We advise you call when you have 7 to 10 days of product remaining.

Unfortunately no. PHS uses standard delivery services that operate Monday through Friday. To ensure delivery of your order by Friday, please place your order by 2 p.m. Thursday. Orders received after 2 p.m. Thursday typically would not be delivered until the following Monday or Tuesday.

PHS started January 1, 1990. For more than 20 years, we have served medically-complex children and adolescents of all acuity levels and have established a reputation for excellence that is nationally recognized

PHS is accredited by The Joint Commission, has a Home Health license and is a member of the Minnesota Home Care Association Pediatric Council.

• Each PHS patient has an electronic chart in our database that is updated throughout the day by the nurse in the home. Routine reports are sent to the appropriate physician as needed. 
• An electronic Medication Administration Record (MAR) is kept up-to-date by the nurse in the home and is available to physicians and pharmacists. 
• There is a communication book in the home for use by nurses and the family.
• There is also a shift report at shift change between nurses.
• We comply fully with all HIPAA guidelines. 

Please call and ask to speak with the Managing Director of Nursing and Pharmacy, Director of Nursing, or Senior Vice President of Clinical Services.

Each case manager will follow 10-12 patients. This varies depending on several factors such as the acuity of the child's condition and stability of the child's health.