INSURANCE

• Inquire about your mental health benefits from your insurance company
• Obtain certification if necessary.
• Find out your co-pay and pay it at each appointment.
• Take your insurance card or a copy of both sides of it to your first session

I will fill out forms and help you to receive your entitled benefits. However, if your insurance company rejects claims, you will be responsible for full payment.

While insurance can help pay for my services, consider the following:

Your insurance requires you to authorize a release of information of your diagnosis and in some cases a description of your problem, functional status, personal background information, treatment goals, results of clinical tests, medication, prognosis and progress to date. At your request, I will discuss diagnosis and treatment information and its implications with you so that you can make an informed decision. This sensitive information will be released with your written permission and is necessary for payment of services.

Please be advised that once this information leaves my office, I am not responsible for the confidentiality of those records.

Using insurance benefits to pay for treatment may adversely affect your ability to obtain life, health and disability insurance.

Some insurance plans list the maximum number of sessions allowed, but may only allow that number after a utilization review.

• If you forgo insurance, treatment is more flexible and information about your diagnosis and life situation can be kept private.
• If you need to economize, consider less frequent and/or shorter, prorated sessions where monthly costs may be slightly higher than typical co-pays. This option allows you to avoid the pitfalls associated with some managed care plans with which I may no longer do business. This may be discussed at your first session (off the clock)