APPOINTMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS/NO SHOW:
Please remember to cancel or reschedule 48 hours in advance. You will be responsible for the entire fee if cancellation is less than 48 hours, or no show for an appointment. Full fee for private pay is $110. Full Fee for insurance clients is copay PLUS the reimbursement rate which insurance pays provider. If you are unsure about this please ask provider to fully understand responsibility
Cancellations, no shows, and rescheduled appointments will be subject to a full charge if NOT RECEIVED AT LEAST 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you. If you are late for a session, you may lose some of that session time.
The standard meeting time for psychotherapy is 53 minutes–this includes time for scheduling future appointments. If an occasion arises where you need to shorten your session time, requests to change the 53-minute session needs to be discussed with the therapist in order for time to be scheduled in advance. If you have questions about this please ask provider. Private pay clients can request double sessions at the private pay rate of $110. This request must be made in advance when an appointment is scheduled.
LATE ARRIVALS:
If you are unable to begin the session at our agreed upon time, we will stay within the confines of the original scheduled time slot, and you will be charged the full fee. After 15 minutes with no communication or response from client, appointments are considered a No call/No show, and are liable for the full fee. Therapists reserve the right to make this determination.
PAYMENTS for copay or deductibles:
If your health insurance is through Aetna and United Healthcare, you agree to opt into the autopay feature through the HEADWAY platform. Prior to intake you will receive a “welcome” email from them to set up your account and provide your insurance and payment information. Your insurance benefits need to be verified by Headway prior to your scheduled intake. Though the turnaround is usually quick, it can take up to 1-2 days to verify your insurance and your appointment will not be approved by Headway until your account with them is complete.
Additionally, I hold credit card information for no show/late cancellation fees, related to other health plans I accept as well as private pay. All payments are processed through the IVY PAY App. Payments need to be prompt to avoid running a balance. If your card is declined you will receive a message via text message from IVY PAY to update your card information. Therapist has a right to cancel any future appointments if the balance is not paid promptly.
PAYMENTS for private pay:
Payments are due at the end of the therapy session. Therapist requires clients to store a credit card on file and will charge the card the day of session, after it is complete.
For IN-OFFICE sessions only: If a client wishes to pay with a different form of payment than stored credit card, arrangements need to be made and completed at the end of the session. Clients who choose to make payments by cash or check, will receive an electronic receipt via IVY PAY. HSA/FSA cards can also be utilized as a payment method, and are processed in the same way as a credit card. Please make sure there is enough funds in your account to cover the cost of your session.
INSURANCE INFORMATION:
Please check your coverage carefully by asking your insurance the following questions and calling the 1-800 number for mental health or behavioral health services on your insurance benefit card.
- Do I have out of network mental health insurance benefits?
- What is my deductible and has it been met?
- How many sessions per year does my insurance cover?
- What is the coverage amount per therapy session and is there any amount I will be responsible for?
- Is approval required from my primary care physician or is any other pre-authorization required before I receive therapy services?
COURT TESTIMONY:
I do not participate in court proceedings for any reason, unless mandated by law through a subpoena. In the case of subpoena, I charge a minimum of $200/hour for my time, efforts, and loss of other income.
REQUESTS FOR DOCUMENTATION:
Any request for documentation must be paid in advance at a rate of $110/hour of my time.
TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY:
If you need to contact me between sessions, please leave a message on my voicemail as I cannot guarantee a certain level of accessibility to me outside of business hours. However, I will do my best to return your call within 24 hours. If a true emergency situation arises, please call 911 or any local emergency room.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION:
If you are choosing to contact me using electronic communication (email or text messaging), text messages are preferable methods of communication for issues of canceling/scheduling appointments. I request that you do not use any form of electronic communication to discuss therapeutic content and/or request assistance for emergencies.
TERMINATION
Ending relationships can be difficult. Therefore, it is important to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of termination depends on the length and intensity of the treatment. I may terminate treatment after appropriate discussion with you and a termination process, if I determine that the psychotherapy is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment. I will not terminate the therapeutic relationship without first discussing and exploring any reason or you request another therapist, I can provide you with a list of qualified psychotherapists to treat you. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.
Should you fail to schedule an appointment for four consecutive weeks, unless other arrangements have been made in advance, for legal and ethical reasons, I must consider the professional relationship discontinued.
–Monica Whalen, LCSW-R