Policies and Fees
Fees and Payment
My fees are determined by the services provided (e.g., individual versus group psychotherapy) and are comparable to other psychologists in the Bay Area. The typical fee is $350 for a 50-minute session. Payment is due at the start of each session, usually paid by credit card. I have a 24-hour cancellation policy, so you will not be billed if you cancel more than 24 hours in advance of your scheduled appointment.
I strive to make therapy accessible to as many people as possible, and I have a number of sliding scale slots saved for those who cannot afford the full price. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding my fees policy.
Insurance
I am an out-of-network provider, which means that I do not accept insurance at this time. Upon request, I can provide you with a monthly statement (called a “superbill”) that you can then forward to your insurance company in order to obtain reimbursement. Some health insurance plans will reimburse for treatment provided by a licensed psychologist; however, plans vary widely. You are responsible for determining what insurance benefits you receive and for obtaining reimbursement. Please check your coverage carefully by asking your insurance company the following questions:
- Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
- What is my deductible and has it been met?
- How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
- What is the coverage amount per therapy session for an out-of-network provider?
- Can I be granted a “single case exception” if I am unable to find another clinician with similar skills in my area?
If you would like help with this process, I use Mentaya, which can automatically file out-of-network claims for you and help you potentially get partial reimbursement for my services. They charge a 5% processing fee per claim that is submitted, but have helped individuals get thousands of dollars back on therapy. Let me know if you are interested in joining and I will send you an invite.
If your insurance does not cover out-of-network providers, you may be able to pay for therapy out of your pre-tax income using an HSA or FSA account.
Confidentiality
Our sessions and discussions are confidential, meaning they are protected by law. In most situations, I may not disclose confidential information about you without your consent. However, there are several situations in which I am legally required to break confidentiality, including:
- If I believe you are in danger of harming yourself or another person
- If I suspect abuse or neglect of a child, older adult, or dependent adult
- If you are unable to provide basic care for yourself
- If I am court-ordered to release information as part of a legal proceeding
Electronic Health Record
All paperwork, payment, and client information (including treatment plans and session notes) are kept using IntakeQ, an Electronic Health Record for mental health and medical providers. You will have access to a client portal through IntakeQ, which will allow you to look at your billing documents, send me messages, review paperwork, make payments, and so on. Telehealth (or video sessions) will usually be done through the Zoom, IntakeQ, or Doxy, and you will receive an email with a new link for each appointment.
No Surprises Act
YOUR RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST SURPRISE
MEDICAL BILLS
(OMB Control Number: 0938-1401)
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 protection 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.
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.
If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact: The California Department of Insurance.
See Model Disclosure Notice Regarding Patient Protections Against Surprise Billing Instructions for Providers and Facilities for more information about your rights under Federal law.