At this time, I am an in-network provider for the following insurance plans: + Aetna + APS Healthcare + Beech Street + Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) + Behavioral Health Systems + Cameron & Associates, Inc. + ComPsych Managed Care +CorpHealth (now LifeSynch) + Coventry / First Health / CCN / SouthCare + Holman Group + MHNet + Preferred Mental Health Management, Inc. (PMHM) +Preferred Behavioral Network (PBN) + Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) / MultiPlan +PPO Next + various EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs)
However, because the medical insurance companies frequently merge, change their names, or otherwise mutate, it is best for you to check with YOUR plan to be sure I am listed as a participating provider.
What if you aren't on my insurance? -- or -- What if I don't have insurance? -- or -- What if I have insurance, but it doesn't include any mental health benefits? -- or -- What if I don't want to use my insurance?
Clients who are not using insurance are expected to pay the full fee-for-service at the time of service.
Some insurance plans will cover services for out-of-network providers, and require that a client submit proof of service and of payment. If you have an insurance plan with out-of-network benefits, you can file with your insurance company to receive whatever reimbursement your benefits allow. At your request, I will provide you with a statement that contains all of the information that your insurance company needs.
I do not have a sliding scale - however, I do reserve a very limited number of spots in my client caseload for the negotiation of a lowered fee; if a mutually satisfactory agreement can be reached, that client would be expected to pay the full negotiated fee at the time of service.
What are the pros & cons of using my insurance benefits to pay for mental health care?
Many people prefer to use their insurance benefits because it is usually less expensive for the client than it would be to pay the full fee-for-service, themselves.
However, the request to your insurance plan to cover the cost of services you receive will be effective only if the provision of services is for reasons deemed (by the specific insurance benefit plan) to be "medically necessary" AND if the type of services you have received are "allowed" by your plan. Some types of services (e.g., extended-length sessions, multiple sessions in a single day, reports or letters written on a client's behalf by the therapist, etc.) are generally not covered by insurance plans. the type of psychiatric diagnosis or diagnoses"Medical necessity" is generally determined by insurance plans according to that a client has. NOTE: when filing your insurance claims, all providers are required to report a psychiatric diagnosis for you! This diagnosis becomes part of your medical record in a medical information database shared by insurance companies.
If you have a diagnosis of something like a mood or anxiety disorder, your insurance plan will probably cover the services you receive. However, if you are seeking counseling/psychotherapy for "life problems" such as relationships, problem-solving, personal growth, etc., your insurance plan might consider these issues to be not medically necessary, and may deny benefits to you for services.
Please be aware that any ethical mental health clinician will not "assign" a diagnosis to you for a condition that you do not have, just so your insurance company might pay for services! If the appropriate diagnostic code assigned to you is not "eligible" for your insurance benefits to be paid, the insurance company will deny the claim, and you will be responsible for payment in full.
What forms of payment are accepted?
cash (exact change only, please)
check
credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, DiscoverCard
