Fees
I will be happy to discuss fees and your insurance policy during our initial contact.
Insurance
In order for us to set realistic treatment goals and priorities, it is important to evaluate what resources you have available to pay for treatment. If you have a health insurance policy, it will usually provide some coverage for mental health treatment. If I am an in-network provider for your insurance company I will file claims for you. Otherwise I will provide you with a form to submit to your insurance company so that you may receive the benefits to which you are entitled. While I will provide you with whatever assistance I can in helping you receive these benefits you, not your insurance company, are responsible for full payment of my fees. It is very important that you find out exactly what mental health services your insurance policy covers. You should carefully read the section in your insurance coverage booklet or on your insurance company website that describes mental health services, and if you have questions about your coverage you should contact your insurance plan or Employee Assistance Program administrator. When calling your insurance company these are some useful questions to ask them:
- Do I have any mental health benefits?
- Do I need a pre-authorization before my first appointment?
- What is my deductible and has any of it been met yet?
- Do I have a co-pay or co-insurance?
- What is my maximum out-of-pocket amount?
- How many sessions per calendar year does my plan cover?
Due to the rising costs of health care, insurance benefits have increasingly become more complex. It is sometimes difficult to determine exactly how much mental health coverage is available. Managed Health Care such as HMO’s and PPO’s often require authorization before they provide reimbursement for mental health services. These plans are often limited to short-term treatment approaches designed to work out specific problems that interfere with a persons’ usual level of functioning. It may be necessary to seek approval for more therapy after a certain number of sessions. While much can be accomplished in short-term therapy, some patients feel that they need more services after insurance benefits end. Some managed care plans will not allow me to provide services to you once your benefits end.
Once we have all of the information about your insurance coverage, we will discuss what we can expect to accomplish with the benefits that are available and what will happen if they run out before you feel ready to end your sessions. It is important to remember that you always have the right to pay for services yourself to avoid the problems described above, unless prohibited by your contract.
Please see the Psychologist-Patient Agreement and HIPPA forms for further information.
Payment
Depending on the insurance plan, patients are responsible for any co-pays, deductibles or the full fee at the time of session. Cash, major credit cards and checks are accepted for payment.
Cancellation Policy
Once an appointment is scheduled this time has been reserved for you and you will be responsible for payment unless you provide forty-eight hours advance notice of cancellation. It is important to note that insurance companies do not provide reimbursement for cancelled sessions.
