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 FEES

Rates:  I have established fees for different modalities of treatment, which are outlined in my statement of Office Policies. For established patients who are consistent with their therapy, I also offer phone sessions as an adjunct to treatment, which may involve reviewing goals and/or helping maintain progress. Such phone sessions are not reimbursed by insurance and will be your responsibility; they are billed at a rate proportional to my fee. In certain situations of unusual hardship, a sliding scale may be arranged based on your financial resources. We can discuss this further at your request and work to make your therapy affordable. I believe in access to quality mental health care.

I may be contacted at either (949) 491.6135 or (714) 988.3189 to schedule an initial appointment.

 

24-Hour Cancellation Policy :

Kindly give 24 hours advance notice if you are unable to keep your therapy appointment with me. Insurance companies are not responsible for your missed sessions.

 

You will be directly charged with a fee if:

- you do not show up for your scheduled appointment, and/or

- you contact me within less than 24 hours

 

Payment: 

  • I accept bank transfer, cash, and checks. Payment is due at the time that services are rendered.

  • For new patients, your credit/debit card information is required to secure an initial appointment. If you need to cancel, please do so 24 hours in advance to avoid being charged (see my cancellation policy).

Insurance: 

*Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross

 

*Out-of-Network PPO Provider

 

*If you will be using your health insurance plan and/or employee benefit plan for mental health services, please check your coverage prior to setting up your first appointment with me.

 

*Copayments and deductible must be paid at the time services are rendered. Your insurance is billed as a courtesy, but you remain perosnally responsible for the fee should it not be covered by insurance.

 

*You may want to find out about:

   (a) your amount of copay and deductible,

   (b) your coverage for outpatient mental health services,

   (c) number of sessions authorized for you,

   (d) requirement of any prior authorization, and/or

   (e) reimbursement rate to you for seeing an out-of-network provider.

 

*For those utilizing out-of-network services, I can provide an invoice (i.e., 'superbill') with information necessary to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Most non-HMO insurances reimburse subscribers in a timely fashion, and provide specific instructions for submitting invoices.

LIMITS OF INSURANCE COVERAGE: 

There is a certain amount of risk when submitting a mental health invoice to your health insurance company for reimbursement. Not all issues/conditions/problems, which are the focus of psychotherapy, are reimbursed by insurance companies. Most require you to authorize me to provide them with a clinical diagnosis, with additional clinical information such as a treatment plan or summaries. While insurance companies claim to maintain confidentiality, I have no control over what they do with it once it is in their possession. Additionally, claims against your insurance may impact your ability to acquire new individual life, health, disability, or long term care insurance. And for some, a lapse in your treatment may occur in waiting for additional coverage to be approved. It is important to remember that you always have the right to pay for my services yourself to avoid the problems described above.

Advantages to consider when paying out of pocket: 

1) Freedom to begin treatment quickly without waiting for approval from your insurance company.

2) Ability to select the therapist of your choice.

3) You and your therapist decide the length of your treatment without insurance policy limits.

4) Increased privacy with no personal information shared without your consent.

CONFIDENTIALITY & PRIVACY POLICY: 

The law protects the relationship between a client and a psychotherapist, and information cannot be disclosed without written permission.

 

Exceptions to Confidentiality include the following,

for which I am required by law to contact appropriate authorities: 

 

* Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse

* A threat with intention to hurt another person or property

   -- at which point I must notify police and intended victim;

* An intent to hurt her/himself

   -- at which point I will enlist the patient's cooperation to ensure her/his safety as much as possible,

      and will take further measures provided by law to do so if necessary

 

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