USING INSURANCE

I am contracted with two major insurance companies. However, you are responsible for speaking directly with your insurance company and providing payment to the psychologist at the time of service. Your coverage, co-payments, and benefits could be quite different from your regular medical coverage. If your insurance plan includes a managed care component, you may be required to obtain preauthorization and your coverage may be limited. It is your responsibility to contact your insurance company to determine if preauthorization must be obtained by you prior to your treatment.

I require that deductibles and co-payments be paid in full at the time of service.  Any charges denied by your insurance provider will be your responsibility and billed to you. If your insurance company has not paid your account in full within 60 days, the balance automatically becomes your responsibility. Therefore, it is very important that you find out exactly what behavioral services your insurance policy covers and keep me informed about the limits and the number of sessions allowed per calendar year. Please note that insurance companies typically only cover a portion of psychological testing and the remaining balance will be your responsibility.

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If you would like to use your insurance for therapy, please check with your insurance carrier whether you have mental health coverage and what that coverage is for in-network providers. Here are a few questions to ask your insurance carrier regarding your mental health coverage:

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• Do I have mental health benefits?

• Is this therapist an in-network or out-of-network provider for my mental health benefits?

• How much (or what percentage) does my plan cover for an out-of-network provider?

• What is my co-pay for an in-network or preferred provider?

• What is my deductible? (Most people have a deductible that must be paid before insurance coverage is activated; this deductible varies depending on the type of plan you have)

• Is approval or referral required from my primary care physician?

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Please also note that if you are using insurance or managed care to pay for therapy, your rights as a client may be subject to other conditions (e.g., you may have limits regarding number of sessions or length of treatment). Insurance companies may also require that your psychologist provide information about you before they agree to pay for sessions. This information varies from company to company, but most require information about your diagnoses for which you meet criteria. I will always release the least amount of information required for you to be reimbursed but it is important that you are aware of this as you decide whether or not to use your insurance or managed care to pay for your therapy.