Policies
You will be expected to pay for each session at the time it is held, unless you have made a specific agreement with your psychologist. Payment schedules for other services will be agreed to at the time these services are requested.
At this time, cash, checks, and major credit cards (e.g., Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express) are accepted. Please note that Practicum Students do not accept credit cards at this time. Please make checks payable in the name of your psychologist/therapist. A 35-dollar processing fee will be added to all returned checks.
Due to confidentially reasons, we do not call to verify appointments. For established clients, a missed appointment fee of 75 dollars (for each 45-50 minute session/testing hour) is charged for missed appointments and/or appointments cancelled without providing notice by 4pm the day prior to your appointment. For Monday appointments, please notify us by 4pm on Friday. Please note that the fee for missed appointments cannot be billed to your insurance company and you will be responsible for paying the fee.
In order for us to set realistic treatment goals and priorities, it is important to evaluate what resources are available to pay for your treatment. If you have a health insurance policy, it will usually provide some coverage for behavioral health treatment. It is your responsibility to ensure coverage prior to your initial visit.
You are responsible for speaking directly with your insurance company and providing the payment to your psychologist at the time of service regardless of the approval, authorization, reimbursement, and/or status of the insurance claim. You are responsible for the deductible, as well as any copay, coinsurance, and remaining balance for services not covered. Any charges denied by your insurance provider will be your responsibility and billed to you. Therefore, it is very important that you find out exactly what behavioral health services your insurance policy covers and keep your psychologist 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.
When your psychologist/therapist is an in-network provider for your insurance, bills will be submitted directly to your insurance company. If you have insurance that your psychologist/therapist is not an in-network provider for, you are responsible for filing and submitting claims directly to your insurance company. Your psychologist/therapist will provide you with a detailed invoice that you can submit to your insurance company.
Ethics
Your psychologist/therapist agrees to follow the Standards of Professional Conduct of the American Psychological Association and does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race or ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation or ability/disability.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Your psychologist/therapist agrees to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a recent federal law that provides privacy protection and client rights with regard to the use and disclosure of your Protected Health Information (PHI).
Emergency Policy
Your psychologist/therapist is an outpatient provider and does not provide emergency/crisis services to clients and/or families. We do not have hospital admitting privileges. An emergency/crisis situation is one that requires immediate attention and/or is life threatening. If you have a life-threatening emergency, please contact 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also call the Hillsborough County Crisis Line at 211 or (813) 234-1234 for 24-hour assistance.
If your psychologist/therapist will be unavailable for an extended time, he/she will provide you with the name of a trusted colleague who you can contact, if necessary.