Fees, Payments & Insurance
Fees
I recognize that therapy can be a substantial commitment of time and money. I encourage clients to consider that commitment as an investment in a future with lower health costs, legal costs, or costs related to reactive or compulsive behaviors.
Please note that I generally do not reduce my fee for couples counseling based on the effort required to adequately care for two people and the relationship itself all at once.
Call or email me any time to discuss my fees, my approach to therapy, and my availability.
Payments
Payments are due at the time of each session. I accept payments in the form of cash, check, or credit card.
If paying by check, please make it payable to “Growing Together Counseling.” Returned checks will be considered outstanding until all session fees as well as bank charges have been paid in full. Future counseling sessions may be put on hold until the full balance is paid, and all future payments will need to be made in cash or by credit card.
Please note that there is a 2.75% processing fee for credit card payments based on what I am charged by Square. I am set up to take HSA cards through Square for those who would like to use them. I typically do not keep credit card information on file because of the higher processing fee from Square and due to the potential security risk.
Insurance Coverage (Out of Network only)
I am not in-network with any insurance panels. However, if you have out-of-network benefits, you may be reimbursed a portion of the fee by submitting a “superbill” (a fancy receipt that contains required insurance information). Please check with your plan provider about the reimbursement rate for the type of counseling in which you are engaging (couples/family, individual, group). Please note that some insurance companies do not provide coverage for family or couples counseling. Those that do will not cover the relationship as the client; therefore, one person will need to be identified as the client with a diagnosis.
Also, please be aware that any insurance forms submitted will include diagnosis and procedure codes. These will be on record with the insurance company, and you should factor that into your decision on whether to file for out-of-network reimbursement.
Your Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills (OMB Control Number: 0938-1401)
When you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing.
What is “balance billing” (sometimes called “surprise billing”)?
When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, such as a copayment, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.
“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit.
“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care - like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider.
You are protected from balance billing for:
Emergency services
If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services.
Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center
When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed.
If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance bill you unless you give written consent and give up your protections.
You’re never required to give up your protection from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.
When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have the following protections:
You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly.
Your health plan generally must:
Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (prior authorization).
Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers.
Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in-network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits.
Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your deductible and out-of-pocket limit.
If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact: the Georgia Secretary of State at (404) 656-2817 or soscontact@sos.ga.gov. (https://georgia.gov/contacts/secretary-state-contact)
Visit https://www.cms.gov/files/document/model-disclosure-notice-patient-protections-against-surprise-billing-providers-facilities-health.pdf for more information about your rights under Federal law.