Please read all of the following information about my policies. The information below is subject to change.
Fees: My rate is $180 per standard 60 minute session.
Payments: Payments are accepted via Stripe. Partnership Health Plan payments are billed directly to insurance.
Insurance: I accept Partnership Health Plan with Carelon (formerly Beacon) and can provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement for other panels if requested. Many providers will reimburse their members for out-of-network psychotherapy services. You are responsible for making the full payment each session and seeking reimbursement from your insurance provider. Please check with your insurance provider to see what services are covered for full or partial reimbursement. Though I do not directly bill out-of-network insurances I can supply receipts of service rendered or a monthly superbill to those who wish to submit these to their insurance company. You are responsible for payments not covered by your insurance plan.
Cancelation Policy: There will be a $50 late-cancellation charge for sessions cancelled within 24 hours of the scheduled appointment time. I reserve your appointment spot especially for you each week and late cancellations do not give me enough time to offer the appointment to someone else. If 15 minutes have passed the hour of our appointment time and you have not called to let me know you are on your way, I will assume you are not coming and I may leave the virtual office. If you arrive late, your session will still end at the originally scheduled time. Please cancel by phone, e-mails may not be read in time. Please understand that your insurance company will not pay for missed or canceled sessions.
No Show/Frequent Cancelations: If you neglect to cancel and miss your appointment [“no show”] you will be charged the full fee of your session. Emergency situations will be waived. Missing appointments or frequently cancelling is sometimes an indicator that we are not a good fit or that it’s the wrong time to be pursing therapy as other parts of your life may be taking priority. After two “no shows” or late cancellations we will discuss referring you to another therapist or take a break from counseling.
Good Faith Estimate: In compliance with the No Surprises Act (HR 133), you have the right to ask for and receive a “Good Faith Estimate” outlining how much my therapy will cost. The estimate would include details of expected services, codes, and charges. Since the length of treatment is highly variable depending on the depth of your concerns and ongoing life circumstances the estimate would show the per-session costs for one to 52 sessions, as the estimate is valid for 12 months. The standard psychotherapy plan includes once per week or every other week sessions. My out-of-pocket rate is $180 per hour and treatment may take between 1-52 sessions per year. If you receive a bill that is $400 more than the estimate, you have the right to dispute the bill. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises
Additional Services: Requests for letters, reports, phone calls longer than 15 minutes, or mandated court appearances will result in additional fees.
ESA Letters: I do not provide Emotional Support Animal (ESA) letters.
Confidentiality: As a mental health professional I am bound by law to protect the privacy of your identity and the contents of what you share in session. There are a few conditions which require or allow me to break confidentiality, they are:
- I must report any disclosure or reasonable suspicion that you have a serious intent to harm yourself (e.g. actively suicidal patients)
- I must report any serious threat to harm another specific person (e.g. assault, kill) [domestic violence is not reportable unless as part of the neglect or abuse of minor children or elders]
- I must report any disclosure or reasonable suspicion of abuse toward a minor (under 18), an elder (65+), or a dependent adult (this includes disclosure of a sexual assault if you are under 18)
- I must report any disclosure of viewing, downloading, producing, owning, or accessing any and all forms of child pornography [AB1775]
- I must turn over records of your treatment if requested by court ordered subpoena
- I may discuss your treatment in order to coordinate services with another provider, with your written consent
- I may discuss your case in consultation with peer professionals without disclosing any identifying information
- (If you are using insurance) I may be required to grant your insurance company access to your records, as a condition of their payment
Communication: If you communicate confidential or private information via SMS (text) or e-mail, I will assume that you have made an informed decision and will view it as your agreement to take the risk that such communication may be intercepted. Email communication should be limited to information pertaining to scheduling or modifying appointments and should never be used for emergencies. Email and text communication containing clinically relevant information will become part of your medical record. I am using HIPAA compliant e-mail and telephone platforms.
Social Media Policy: I do not accept nor respond to social media requests from current or former clients on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms. Connecting on social media sites can compromise your confidentiality and blur the boundaries of our professional relationship. Social media is not a good way to contact me as I do not check these sites frequently and communication via social messaging is not secure.
I do not view your online information, including but not limited to Google searches, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, SnapChat, or personal blogs. If there is something in your online content you wish me to see, please bring it to our sessions and we will review it together.
Complaints: The Board of Behavioral Sciences receives and responds to complaints regarding services provided within the scope of practice of Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists. You may contact the board online at www.bbs.ca.gov, or by calling (916) 574-7830