Highlands
A: I will personally respond, generally within 24 hours during week days. I am the only person with access to my confidential voicemail and email account.
Q: What will my counseling sessions consist
of?
A: Your first appointment will be a consultation visit. This is a time for
you to let me know what you want to address in therapy and for me to become acquainted
with your current life. It
is also a time for you to get a sense of who I am and how I work.
Generally, by the end of this consultation, I will be able to offer
some initial observations and recommendations on how we can
proceed. Most sessions are 50 minutes; however, I find
some clients prefer longer sessions. If we decide longer
sessions are more useful, we will work that out together.
Q: Is what I share with you confidential?
A: Your confidentiality is protected by state and federal laws and by the rules
of my profession. All information concerning clients is held
confidential and is released only through procedures consistent with
the law and professional ethics. If you have questions about limits
of confidentiality, I will be glad to discuss these with you.
Q: What if I think I need to be evaluated
for medications or I am already prescribed medications?
A: I am licensed and trained to practice as a counselor and I do not
prescribe medications. However, I am well-acquainted with most
psychotropic medications and frequently consult with physicians who
prescribe these medications in an effort provide you and your
physician with observations that might be helpful in your medication
management.
Q: How can I evaluate my insurance plan for
mental health coverage?
A: Contact your health insurance provider to determine if outpatient
mental health benefits are available with your plan. The customer
service phone number should be on your insurance card. There may be
a separate phone number for mental health benefits. Some insurance
companies have comprehensive information on their websites.
Ask if the full cost of treatment is covered, or only a part. Benefits vary widely. Ask about limits of coverage such as the number of visits per year or annual or lifetime maximums.
Find out if there is a group of "preferred providers" or a "network," that you must choose from or if you can choose any qualified provider. If you a member of an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization), you generally must see a therapist who is contracted with the HMO in order to receive any benefit. Otherwise the entire fee for services will be your full responsibility. If you are member of a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), you must choose from the "network" in order to receive the maximum financial benefit. Generally with PPO’s, you will also have "out-of-network" benefits, which allow you to choose any qualified provider and your out-of-pocket expenses will be somewhat higher.
Q: Do you take insurance?
A: That depends. At my Atlanta office, some of the
insurance plans available are Aetna, APS Healthcare, Blue Cross Blue
Shield, Cigna, CorpHealth/Humana, PHCS and UBH. You will need
to discuss your benefits with your insurance carrier, and I can
assist you in learning more about their coverage through our
benefits manager.
At this time, I do not accept insurance at my Highlands office. If you are claiming insurance benefits at that office, or if you are covered by plans other than those listed above at my Atlanta office, the full fee will be collected at the time of service and you will be given a billing statement to use in filing for insurance reimbursements yourself.
Health insurance companies often require that a statement of diagnosis of a mental health condition be indicated before they will agree to reimburse for counseling services. If a diagnosis is required, I will inform you of the diagnosis prior to submitting it to the health insurance company. Any diagnosis made will become part of your permanent insurance records.
Q: What are your fees?
A: I agree to provide counseling services in return for a fixed fee
per 50 minute session. We can discuss that when we talk by
phone to set up your first appointment. Requests for a reduction in
fees will be handled on an individual basis as needed. I believe no
one should be denied counseling services because of inability to
pay. Payment for each session is received at the conclusion of the
session. Cash or personal checks are acceptable methods of payment,
and I will provide a receipt for all fees paid.
Group fees are determined based on the type of group and the length of group sessions. Individuals participating in groups will be interviewed prior to joining a group and specific fees will be discussed at that time.
