FINANCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEM

CareCredit is a specialty credit card that can be used for veterinary expenses. It is a traditional line of credit, and you can either apply here in our office at JVC, or apply online in the comfort of your own home. You will know instantly if you’ve been approved. CareCredit allows you to finance care over a period of 6 months, interest-free* — as long as you pay on time every time, and pay off your entire balance by the end of the 6 month promotional period.

*The interest is really “deferred,” so if you miss a payment or don’t pay off your balance in time, you may be subjected to retroactive interest (interest that is applied to the entire balance owed.) As long as you are diligent about making your payments, CareCredit can be a great option for managing veterinary expenses.

You can click on the CareCredit logo above to apply, or call 800-677-0718.

If you’re not approved for CareCredit, JVC offers an alternative option through VetBilling. VetBilling is a third-party payment management company, and through VetBilling, you can make installment payments over time, breaking a large cost into smaller, more manageable chunks.

On the date you choose, VetBilling automatically drafts payments from your checking, savings, or credit card account until your balance is paid in full. Your payments are transferred directly to JVC. You don’t have to remember to mail a check or call us with a credit card number – VetBilling does it all for you, and it’s simple and convenient.

There are some restrictions and additional fees that apply when using VetBilling:

– VetBilling payment plans are only available to current Jarrettsville Veterinary Center clients. You must have an established relationship with us, and we must have seen your pet before. You must also have applied for Care Credit and been turned down.

– There is a one-time $25 enrollment fee required to activate the payment plan, and an additional $3 is added to each recurring monthly payment. You can pay off your balance early with no penalty.

– On the day of your appointment, you must be able to pay your pet’s exam fee, plus a down payment (a percentage of your total invoice) in order to qualify for a VetBilling payment plan.

– The length of your payment plan term will be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on your total balance and your monthly income. Plans are typically set up for a period of 3 to 6 months.

For more information about VetBilling, click on their logo above.

Our Good Samaritan Fund provides cats and dogs with the care needed (food, shelter, diagnostics, treatment, surgeries, etc.) to keep them from knocking on heaven’s door. It gives these animals a light when all else seems to grow dark around them. JVC created this fund so we can be a voice of hope for these animals.

Eligibility for the Good Samaritan Fund is determined on a case-by-case basis.

All donations received for the Good Sam fund are used directly and exclusively for the good of the animal in need; ranging from providing food and bedding to an orphan who would have otherwise been euthanized, to providing the life-saving surgery that gives a devoted owner more time with his or her furry best friend.

The Good Samaritan Fund is designed to help our clients with necessary lifesaving care that they may not otherwise be able to afford. It is supported by donations from our clients, for our clients, so it is a true, community-based charitable resource.

When JVC steps in with the Good Sam fund to offer assistance, we do expect a few things in return:

• Recipients of Good Sam funding grant permission for us to share their pet’s story via social media, including pictures and video.
• Recipients agree to share information about our Good Sam Fund fundraisers to help encourage future donations, so we can help other pets and their caregivers in their time of need.
• Recipients agree that use of the Good Sam Fund is a one-time, single use arrangement to help them through a time of desperate need. The Good Sam Fund is not meant to be a source of ongoing financial support for responsible, routine veterinary care.

You can make a donation to JVC’s Good Samaritan Fund at any time, by mailing a check to:

Jarrettsville Veterinary Center / Good Sam Fund
3961 Norrisville Rd.
Jarrettsville, MD 21084

You can also donate whenever you are in the clinic for a visit – there is a donation box in the reception area. Also, a number of retail items we sell in the clinic, including jewelry, are sources of funding for Good Sam, so if you buy any of these items, you are supporting a great cause!

At JVC we believe the best way to deal with the financial impact of veterinary care is to be prepared in advance! To that end, we offer some proactive options that we hope you will consider:

Pet Health Savings Accounts through VetBilling

Through VetBilling, JVC offers a Pet Health Savings Account. You choose your contribution amount, and payments are automatically debited from a checking or savings account on the date you choose. You can choose to save monthly, weekly or biweekly.

All your payments are transferred directly to JVC and accumulate as a credit balance on your client account. You can use your accumulated funds at any time and for any service offered at JVC, including medical services, prescription food or medication, retail items, boarding, or grooming.

Pet Health Savings Accounts are ongoing and automatically renew from year to year. You can cancel anytime with 30 days notice (this is to allow adequate time to cancel any upcoming automatic drafts.)

Things to note about VetBilling’s Pet Health Savings Account include:

• It requires a signed account agreement.
• It includes a one-time, $15.00 non-refundable set-up fee.
• An additional $1.00 is charged for each debit transaction. For example, if you choose to save $30 a month, your account will be drafted in the amount of $31. The full $30 will be credited to your client account at JVC. The additional $1 covers the cost of the electronic funds transfer from your bank to JVC.

You can pick up a brochure about our Pet Health Savings Accounts anytime you’re in the clinic. Brochures are at the front desk, and in the brochure racks in every exam room.

JVC also allows you to set up “prepaid” payment plans in advance of a costly, non-emergent procedure, such as dental care or spay/neuter. We can schedule your pet’s appointment 3 to 6 months in advance, and you can begin making payments ahead of time, so your pet’s procedure will be paid in full (or almost paid in full) by the time it occurs.

We think this is a great way to take care of important preventive care procedures, while taking the sting out of the cost!

Prepayment plans are managed by VetBilling, and are subject to the same requirements as regular payment plans:

• $25 enrollment fee is required to activate your prepayment plan.
• Payments are by automatic draft from your checking, savings or credit card account.
• An additional $3 is added to each recurring automatic payment.
• Prepayment plans are typically for 3 to 6 months – automatic payments terminate at the end of the specified period.
• You must be able to pay your pet’s exam fee on the day of your appointment.
• You must be able to provide a 20% down payment on the estimated cost of treatment.