- Behavioral HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogArtificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming part of everyday life. You can get instant answers to almost any question at your fingertips. It’s no surprise then that many people are turning to tools like ChatGPT for health information. A recent poll found that about one in three adults nationwide used AI for health-related questions in the past year. But is that a good idea? And how much is too much? What chatbots can do well First, it’s okay to try it. AI tools can feel personal and are easy to use. Chatbots can break down complex health topics into language that’s easier to understand, helping you learn about conditions, symptoms, and possible treatments. It can even help you develop effective workout routines and tailored dietary plans. Chatbots can also improve your next doctor’s visit. When you come in with a better understanding, you’re more prepared to ask detailed questions and work with your provider to decide options that are best for you. Where chatbots fall short Chatbots may be convenient, but they’re not a substitute for professional medical advice. These tools are only as good as the information you enter and the information that the chatbot finds online. Leave out a key symptom or detail, and the response you get may be incomplete, misleading, or fail to reflect the seriousness of your condition. That’s where a human provider makes a difference. They’re trained to ask follow-up questions about symptoms that you may not have mentioned, didn’t notice, or dismissed as minor. Chatbots and your mental health You might turn to a chatbot when dealing with a personal or emotional concern. While that can feel helpful in the moment, it’s important not to rely on it too heavily. There are a few signs to watch out for: Overuse: You find yourself turning to a chatbot repeatedly and overanalyzing your thoughts or situations. Dependence on decisions: You rely on it to make even simple choices, such as weekend plans. Catastrophizing: You take responses at face value and begin to assume the worst about your situation. Teenagers and AI chatbots With millions of teens using AI chatbots, there’s a good chance your child has tried one. For some, it’s just entertainment. For others, it can fill time when they’re bored or feeling lonely. Over time, these tools can start to feel like companions, always available and responsive. If your child begins relying on AI for emotional support or reassurance, or struggles to make decisions without it, it might be time to step in. Learning how to make healthy decisions and applying their creativity are important milestones that you want them to achieve. Keep in mind, the goal isn’t to take technology away completely, but to help your child build a healthy balance. Start with an open conversation Ask how they’re using AI tools and what they like about them. Keeping the tone curious—not critical—makes it more likely they’ll be honest. Set reasonable boundaries Create limits around when and how often AI can be used, especially during times meant for schoolwork, family, or sleep. Encourage real-world connections Help your child stay engaged with friends, hobbies, and activities that build social skills and confidence outside of a screen. Teach them to think critically about AI Remind them that chatbots don’t truly understand them and can be wrong. Encourage them to question responses rather than accept them as fact. Help is here if you need it If you or your child feel withdrawn, anxious, or overly dependent on AI, consider reaching out to a counselor or mental health professional. Luminis Health is here to help. Our Behavioral Health Urgent Care is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 7:00 pm, and on Saturdays, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. No appointment is necessary. The center is located on the campus of Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center in Lanham. Authors Danny Watkins is Luminis Health’s senior director of Behavioral Health Nursing and Operations0
- General Page - Tier 2No-Surprise Billing Your rights and protections against surprise medical bills When you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing. What is “balance billing” (sometimes called “surprise billing”)? When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, such as a copayment, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network. “Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit. “Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care—like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider. You are protected from balance billing for: Emergency services If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services. Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed. If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance bill you unless you give written consent and give up your protections. You’re never required to give up your protections from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network. Maryland-specific balance billing protections If you are in a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) governed by Maryland law, you may not be balance billed for services covered by your plan, including ground ambulance services. When you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing. If you are in a PPO or EPO governed by Maryland law, hospital-based or on-call physicians paid directly by your PPO or EPO (assignment of benefits) may not balance bill you for services covered under you plan and can’t ask you to waive your balance billing protections. If you use ground ambulance services operated by a local government provider who accepts an assignment of benefits from a plan governed by Maryland law, the provider may not balance bill you. When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have the following protections: You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly. Your health plan generally must: Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (prior authorization). Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers. Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in-network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits. Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your deductible and out-of-pocket limit., Language Assistance Services ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 301-552-0899. | Spanish 注意：如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。請致電 301-552-0899 。| Chinese 주의: 한국어를 사용하시는 경우, 언어 지원 서비스를 무료로 이용하실 수 있습니다. 301-552-0899 번으로 전화해 주십시오. | Korean HÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 301-552-0899 . | Vietnamese ATTENTION : Si vous parlez français, des services d'aide linguistique vous sont proposés gratuitement. Appelez le 301-552-0899. | French PAUNAWA: Kung nagsasalita ka ng Tagalog, maaari kang gumamit ng mga serbisyo ng tulong sa wika nang walang bayad. Tumawag sa 301-552-0899. | Tagalog ВНИМАНИЕ: Если вы говорите на русском языке, то вам доступны бесплатные услуги перевода. Звоните 301-552-0899. | Russian ማስታወሻ: የሚናገሩት ቋንቋ ኣማርኛ ከሆነ የትርጉም እርዳታ ድርጅቶች፣ በነጻ ሊያግዝዎት ተዘጋጀተዋል፡ ወደ ሚከተለው ቁጥር ይደውሉ 301-552-0899. | Amharic Dè ɖɛ nìà kɛ dyéɖé gbo: Ɔ jǔ ké m̀ [Ɓàsɔ́ ɔ̀ -wùɖù-po-nyɔ̀ ] jǔ ní, nìí, à wuɖu kà kò ɖò po-poɔ̀ ɓɛ́ ìn m̀ gbo kpáa. Ɖá 301-552-0899. | Kru (Bassa) Ntị: Ọ bụrụ na asụ Ibo, asụsụ aka ọasụ n’efu, defu, aka. Call 301-552-0899. | Ibo AKIYESI: Bi o ba nsọ èdè Yorùbú ọfé ni iranlọwọ lori èdè wa fun yin o. Ẹ pe ẹrọ-ibanisọrọ yi 301-552-0899. | Yoruba خبردار: اگر آپ اردو بولتے ہیں، تو آپ کو زبان کی مدد کی خدمات مفت میں دستیاب ہیں ۔ کال 301-552-0899. ک | Urdu توجھ: اگر بھ زبان فارسی گفتگو می کنید، تسھیلات زبانی بصورت رایگان برای شما .بگیرید تماس 301-552-0899. با. باشد می فر | Persian (Farsi) ATANSYON: Si w pale Kreyòl Ayisyen, gen sèvis èd pou lang ki disponib gratis pou ou. Rele 301-552-0899. | French Creole (Haitian Creole) ATENÇÃO: Se fala português, encontram-se disponíveis serviços linguísticos, grátis. Ligue para 301-552-0899. | PortugueseThere are many factors to consider when estimating the cost of health care. Your specific benefits, where you receive care and your medical condition can impact your final bill. To help you plan financially for your procedure or hospital stay, please download our price transparency documents below* that list average charges by department and service, or use our MyChart Cost Estimator tool.LHAAMC Standard Charges | Download the full CSV fileLH J. Kent McNew Standard Charges | Download the full CSV fileLHDCMC Standard Charges | Download the full CSV fileThese estimates show a standard range of hospital charges only. Your actual charges may be higher or lower than the amount(s) listed. Your doctor(s) may send you a separate bill. For an estimate of those charges, please contact your doctor(s) directly. You can also get more information by visiting the Maryland Health Cost Commission.Read about your right to receive a "good faith estimate".*The files posted here reflect charges for items and services provided by Luminis Health and its affiliates as of January 20, 2026. This type of file is commonly referred to as the hospitals “charge master." In Maryland, the Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) regulates the average rate for hospital services.Though the HSCRC sets rates as of a certain date, hospital charges are allowed to fluctuate during the course of the year and detailed charges for certain items may be different than the average approved rate that covers a larger group of services. This is both permissible and normal as hospitals adjust charges frequently to comply with other HSCRC regulations., If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed You may contact the Health Education and Advocacy Unit (HEAU) of Maryland’s Consumer Protection Division: Health Education and Advocacy UnitOffice of the Attorney General200 St Paul Place, 16th FloorBaltimore, Maryland 21202Phone: (410) 528-1840 or toll-free 1 (877) 261-8807En español: 410-230-1712Fax: (410) [email protected] If you believe your health plan processed your claim incorrectly You may contact the Maryland Insurance Administration: Maryland Insurance AdministrationLife and Health Complaints Unit200 St Paul Place, Suite 2700Baltimore, Maryland 21202Phone (410) 468-2000 or toll free 1-(800) 492-6116Fax: (410)468-2260Website: https://www.insurance.maryland.gov Visit https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises for more information about your rights under federal law. Visit https://marylandattorneygeneral.gov or insurance.maryland.gov for more information about your rights under Maryland law.0
- Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogHeart disease is the number one cause of death in Americans. There are certain factors that are not controllable: age, gender and family history of heart disease. Fortunately, there are many key steps you can take to lower your risk of heart disease. Quit Smoking Smoking, namely the chemicals in tobacco, can increase your blood pressure and damage your heart and its blood vessels. It is never too late to quit. Your risk of heart disease drops after quitting and your risk of coronary artery disease is the same as a non-smoker after 15 years of quitting. Maintain a Healthy Weight Being overweight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease. You may use the body mass index (BMI) to get a general sense of whether you have a healthy weight. However, BMI does not take into consideration factors like muscle content. Another useful tool to use is waist circumference. Men are considered overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches and for women, greater than 35 inches. Eating a heart-healthy diet is a great way to lose weight. This includes avoiding salt and processed sugars, increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, eating whole grains, and limiting foods with saturated or trans fats. Even a small weight loss can be beneficial in lowering your cholesterol and sugar levels. Exercise Exercise helps control your weight and reduce your risk of developing other conditions that affect your heart, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. The goal is to get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week (for example, walking briskly). Every little bit helps — take the stairs, park your car far away or go for a walk with your family. Get Regular Checkups and know Your Numbers New blood pressure guidelines from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association have emphasized the importance of controlling your blood pressure, and in turn, lowered the definition of high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. High cholesterol is another risk factor. High cholesterol can clog your arteries and raise your risk for having a heart attack. Have your physician check your cholesterol levels regularly. It’s also important that you get screened for diabetes. Adults with diabetes can be two to four times more likely to die from heart disease than adults without diabetes. Make Sleep a Priority If you don’t get enough sleep, your risk of diabetes, obesity and hypertension goes up. Practice good sleep hygiene: set a sleep schedule and try to stick to it, avoid caffeine later in the day and avoid screen time before bed. If you feel as if you’re not getting good, quality sleep, you may want to ask your doctor if a sleep study would be beneficial. Manage your Stress Levels Stress can raise your blood pressure and “extreme” stress has been known to “trigger” heart attacks. Our coping mechanisms for stress are sometimes not ideal — like overeating and smoking. Focus on different stress relief techniques, like exercise, mindfulness and meditation. Author Sadia Shafi, MD, is a former cardiologist at Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Cardiology Specialists. Originally published March 15, 2018. Last updated April 16, 2026.0
- General Page - Tier 2When you receive care at Luminis Health, you will receive separate bills for hospital, physician and imaging (radiology) services.Do you have a bill from Luminis Health Imaging? Learn more about your bill. Pay securely through our online portal Luminis Health is introducing a new, secure online platform that will allow you to pay and manage your medical bills online. It's simple, clear, convenient and designed with your needs in mind. For your convenience, we offer different ways to pay online. You may have received an email, text and paper statement with a direct link to pay. You can pay your hospital and physician bills with pay.luminishealth.org. All methods allow you to pay your bills securely online. You can sign up to receive paperless bills, see a history of your payments, send billing questions directly to a customer service representative and more!0
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOne of Only 16 Hospitals Nationwide to Maintain Straight A’s from Leapfrog since 2018 Annapolis, MD—Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC), the leading hospital serving the Annapolis region, Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and surrounding communities, has earned its 15th consecutive “A” Grade for patient safety from the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. LHAAMC remains one of only 16 hospitals nationwide, and the only hospital in Maryland, to achieve straight A’s in every Leapfrog grading period since 2018, underscoring its sustained commitment to excellence in patient safety and quality care. “As we celebrate Nurses Week and Healthcare Week this month, it’s an especially meaningful time to thank all caregivers for their dedication to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care,” said Catherine Maloney, president of LHAAMC and chief operating officer of Luminis Health. “Patient safety drives every decision we make, and earning a 15th consecutive ‘A’ reflects the consistency, discipline, and accountability our teams bring to delivering exceptional care every day.” Luminis Health continues to prioritize best practices that promote quality, safety, and accountability across all areas of care. This commitment is reflected in safe staffing, daily safety huddles, strong multidisciplinary communication, a focus on workforce well-being and retention, workplace safety initiatives, community partnerships, and collaboration with patient and family advisors. The Leapfrog Group is an independent national nonprofit that evaluates general hospitals on how well they protect patients from preventable harm. Grades are based on performance measures related to errors, injuries, infections, and the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. Scores are peer-reviewed, publicly reported, and updated twice annually.0
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