Frequently asked questions

Call us at (310) 326-2161 during office hours, or request an appointment online. Let us know if you are a new patient, whether your visit is for a medical concern or a cosmetic treatment, and if you would like help in Korean, Japanese or another language.

Dr. Shin’s online scheduling profile lists him as accepting new patients. Availability can change, so please call the front desk at (310) 326-2161 or request an appointment online to confirm an opening for your type of visit.

Bring a photo ID, your insurance card if you have one, and a list of all your medicines with doses, including vitamins and supplements. Also bring a list of allergies, records from other doctors, your glasses or hearing aids, and any forms you completed ahead of time. See our new patient guide.

Some health problems don’t cause symptoms at first. High blood pressure, for example, usually has no symptoms, so regular checks are the only way to find it. A checkup is also a time to review which screening tests and vaccines are right for you, based on your age, health and family history, and to get to know a doctor before you’re sick. Learn about physicals and preventive care.

It depends on the test. Some results come back sooner than others, depending on the type of test and the laboratory that processes it. When you have a test, we’ll tell you how you’ll receive your results and what the next steps are. If you haven’t heard about a result you were expecting, please call us.

Please call us at (310) 326-2161 to confirm whether your plan is accepted. Insurance networks change, so we don’t list plans on our website. You can also call the member services number on your insurance card to ask whether Dr. Shin is in your plan’s network.

Yes. Data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shows that Dr. Shin is enrolled in Medicare. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, please call us to confirm whether we are in your plan’s network. Medicare usually doesn’t cover cosmetic surgery.

We offer self-pay options for patients without insurance. Call us at (310) 326-2161 to ask about costs before your visit. You also have the right to a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges when you schedule care or when you ask. If your bill is at least $400 more than the estimate, you may be able to dispute it.

CareCredit financing may be available for eligible services. CareCredit is a health and wellness credit card that requires credit approval from the card issuer. Before you apply, read how interest works if a promotional balance isn’t paid in full on time. See insurance and payment.

We speak English and Korean (한국어). Japanese (日本語) assistance — please call ahead. Free interpreter services are available in any language. Tell us your preferred language when you book so we can prepare. You don’t need to bring a family member to interpret for you. Read our language assistance notice.

Yes. Please tell us when you book. We can plan for needs such as extra time, help reading or filling out forms, large-print materials, a sign language interpreter or help getting to Suite 200. On this website, use the Text size & contrast button above the main menu on every page. See our accessibility statement.

Yes, please mention it. Our family medicine practice and our physician-directed skin and laser clinic are in the same Torrance office, so a skin concern can be part of the conversation. If it needs its own visit, such as a cosmetic consultation, we’ll help you schedule it. Explore skin, laser and aesthetics.

Please ask when you book whether your cosmetic consultation has a fee. If you decide to go ahead with a treatment, ask for the total expected cost, including how many sessions you may need. If you are paying on your own, you can also ask for a Good Faith Estimate.

Cosmetic treatments are generally not covered by health insurance, and Medicare usually doesn’t cover cosmetic surgery. If a skin concern may be medical, such as a mole that has changed, tell us, and we’ll explain how that visit will be billed. CareCredit financing may be available for eligible services.

Our Notice of Privacy Practices explains how we may use and share your health information and your rights, including the right to a paper copy of the notice. Our Website Privacy Policy covers this website. For your privacy, please don’t email symptoms, test results, insurance ID numbers or Social Security numbers. Call us instead.

Federal law gives you the right to get a copy of your medical records, with limited exceptions. Call us at (310) 326-2161 to ask how to make a request, how long it usually takes and whether there is a fee. We may ask you to make your request in writing.