Neel French, MD, SC

TO MY NEW AND EXISTING PATIENTS (POSTED 2/18/22; UPDATED 9/25/2022):

1) I will be retiring in July 2024. Most doctors give about a 90 day notice to their patients, which is inappropriate and that is why I am announcing this so far in advance. I am fully operational until that time, HOWEVER I WILL NOT BE TAKING ANY NEW PATIENTS STARTING 2/2/2023. IF YOU ARE

AN EXISTING PATIENT, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT IF YOU CHOOSE TO SELECT AN HMO THAT BECOMES EFFECTIVE AFTER 2/1/2023, AND REQUIRES CHOOSING A NEW PCP, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE AT OUR PRACTICE AFTER THAT DATE, SINCE I WILL BE "CLOSED" TO "NEW" PATIENTS.

2) I am not selling my practice, nor your medical information to any specific physician/entity, since virtually no one is in solo, private practice anymore. There are a few group, private physicians practices still in existence, but most PCPs are now clinic-, hospital- or university-based.

3) Although I am an independent physician, many of my patients, especially with HMO's are attributed to Amita Health CIN and are managed within the Ascension system (formerly called Amita and Presence). There are many fine physicians within this system (Ascension Medical Group) with locations in Lincoln Park (Dr. John Lee or colleagues/773-281-3563), Near North (Dr. Roepke/312-280-0996) and at St Joseph Hospital (multiple docs/773-665-6851).

4) For any patient that will need/want their care elsewhere, here are some recommendations:

*Northshore Swedish medical group (The Clark in Andersonville) 773-293-8880 (Brian Stojack MD/Tyler Saunders MD or colleague)

*Rush Primary Care on Sheffield 773-472-3704

*Northwestern Medical Group either downtown (Rachel Amdur MD, Sara Bradley for geriatrics 312-695-4525 or on Belmont , near Southport (various physicians) or new Lincoln Square location

*Wellness Home at Northstar (private medical group that focuses on LGBTQ care) 773-296-2400

5) Setting up medical care anywhere is a process that can take weeks to months, so I suggest

planning ahead. I will provide your medical records that are in my possession either to you

directly or to any new provider with a properly executed medical release.

COVID-19: THE NEW UPDATED BIVALENT COVID VACCINE BOOSTERS ARE AVAILABLE (FOR ADULTS OVER AGE 18, WHOSE LAST BOOSTER SHOT WAS OVER 2 MONTHS PRIOR). WE DO NOT HAVE THE MODERNA BIVALENT VACCINE AT THE PRESENT TIME (OUR SHIPMENT IS ON HOLD PENDING MORE AVAILABILITY). WE WILL NOT CARRY THE PFIZER BIVALENT DUE TO STORAGE ISSUES. SEVERAL PATIENTS HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THE UPDATED BOOSTER DOSES AT THEIR LOCAL PHARMACIES. THE COST OF THE UPDATED BOOSTER IS BEING COVERED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

On 8/8/2022, our recorded cases of COVID-19 surpassed 1000 cases since the start of the pandemic.

My patients who have been vaccinated and boostered have had mild to moderate symptoms and none were hospitalized. We have now been treating outpatients at risk for more serious illness with oral paxlovid with great success at shortening duration of symptoms and hopefully preventing "long COVID". Approximately 1 in 5 of our patients who were treated with paxlovid did have rebound symptoms after stopping paxlovid and had to extend their isolation.

WE DO NOT HAVE MONKEYPOX VACCINE. MONKEY POX VACCINE (MPV) (9/9/2022) SITES:

CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (CDPH): Go to HTTPS://GETVAXCHI.CHICAGO.GOV

THEN ENTER CODES AS BELOW:

CDPH LAKEVIEW CLINIC 2849 N. Clark St (ENTER CODE f0969104)

CDPH AUSTIN 4909 W Division St Suite 411 (ENTER CODE 2774ae3b)

CDPH ROSELAND 200 E 115th St. Floor 1.5 (ENTER CODE fb1c220e)

UIC MPX OUTREACH: https://uic.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9G3LAcBlLVYT3kq

Rush Adolescent and Family Center:
Email to schedule an appointment: margaret_m_butler@rush.edu and daisy_roman@rush.edu
Appointment hours: M/W 5-7pm, F 1-5pm or CALL: 888-352-7874

TASK FORCE AND PREVENTION COMMUNITY SERVICES; WED AND THURS 2-4 PM

773-473-4100 9 N CICERO AVE CHICAGO 60644

Wellness Home at NorthStar 773-296-2400/Wellness Home on Halsted 773-621-7725

Howard Brown Health Center: 3 locations 773-388-1600

CURRENT CRITERIA BELOW (PER CDPH)

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is currently ONLY indicated for the following individuals:

**Contact of an individual diagnosed with MPX and who had intermediate to high risk exposure

**Gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men AND who meet at least 1 of the following criteria:

1) Have intimate or sexual contact with other men in a social and/or sexual venue

2) Have intimate of sexual contact with multiple or anonymous sex partners

3) Have given or received money other goods/services in exchange for sex

DR FRENCH IS A PRIVATE PHYSICIAN, HOWEVER SOME OF HIS ACCEPTED INSURANCE PLANS ARE CONTRACTED THROUGH Amita Health Clinically Integrated Plan (AH CIN).

The site number for HMO IL, Blue Advantage HMO, and Blue Precision HMO is site #494-AMITA ST JOE CHI (Blue Focus Care is site #506) and the site number for Blue Cross Medicare Advantage HMO is #741-AMITA ST JOE CHI. Humana HMO (site#694) is also coordinated by AH CIN (Arcadia)

CALL 888-747-2264 TO SELECT DR. FRENCH AS YOUR PCP FOR HMO IL,

BLUE ADVANTAGE HMO, BLUE PRECISION HMO , HUMANA HMO, BLUE FOCUS CARE

AND BLUE CROSS MEDICARE ADVANTAGE HMO

MARKETPLACE HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS 2022

WE ACCEPT: Blue Choice Preferred PPO, Blue Precision HMO (site #494 AMITA ST JOE CHI) and Blue Focus Care (site # 506); French MUST be your PCP for the blue cross HMO's); Cigna Connect/Local Plus AND Bright Health(FRENCH must be your PCP) BRIGHT HEALTH IS LEAVING ILLINOIS IN 2023.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT: The new United Healthcare Exchange plans; Ambetter from Illinicare; Blue Care Direct

MAINSTREAM HEALTHCARE PLANS

WE ACCEPT: Blue Choice PPO ; Blue Cross PPO; Aetna, United, UMR, Meritain, Humana, Cigna Open Access or PPO, PHCS, Smart Health (Ascension PPO), Medicare, Blue Cross Medicare Advantage and Humana Medicare; Blue Cross Community and Meridian are THE ONLY Medicaid plans that are accepted.

Traditional Medicaid may be your secondary IF your have Medicare as Primary Plan.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT: Cigna Plus (Oscar), AARP Medicare Complete, County Care, Molina Healthcare, Ambetter

I prescribe STRATTERA (ATOMOXETINE) ONLY FOR ADHD and refer patients seeking amphetamines such as adderall to psychiatrists.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC ISSUES

WE HAVE RECORDED OVER 1000 CASES OF COVID-19 IN OUR PRACTICE SINCE MARCH 2020. SOME PATIENTS HAVE HAD COVID 2-3 TIMES.

WE REQUIRE THAT ALL PATIENTS WEAR A FACE COVERING IF ENTERING OUR OFFICE; WE RARELY SCHEDULE TELEMEDICINE VISITS AND ONLY IF NECESSARY AS THESE PLATFORMS HAVE SEVERAL LIMITATIONS. YOU MAY E-MAIL DR FRENCH TO REQUEST A TELEMED VISIT OR RX REFILLS: neel@neelfrenchmd.com

IF YOU HAVE COVID-RELATED SYMPTOMS LIKE FEVER OVER 100, COUGH, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, SORE THROAT, CHANGES IN TASTE OR SMELL, CALL THE OFFICE TO BE TRIAGED.

I WISH ALL MY PATIENTS AND STAFF GOOD HEALTH!

Neel French, M.D.

Hours/Directions/ Parking

Monday: 9:00AM-5:30PM

Tuesday: 10:00AM-7:30PM

Wednesday: 9:00AM-5:30PM

Thursday: 9:00AM-5:30PM

2-3 Fridays per month: 7:45AM-4:15PM

2 Saturdays per month: 7:45AM-12:15PM

*Valet park $10 (9-5 M-TH;9-1F)
*Park Chicago (only $3/hour)
*Side street parking WEST of Clark Street is NON-ZONED during daytime.
*Broadway #36 or Clark #22 bus to front door (Deming)

Neel French, M.D., S.C.

2551 N Clark St, Suite 303, Chicago, IL 60614, US

(773) 857-2650; Fax (773)857-2645

Hours

See Above Please

2551 N. Clark Street, Suite 303, Chicago, IL 60614

COVID-19 PANDEMIC ISSUES

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Hours/Directions/ Parking

Neel French, M.D., S.C.

Hours

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