METHODS OF PAYMENT

HEALTH INSURANCE PAYMENT

    I am on the panels of, and accept, insurance payments from most insurance carriers.  Clients who use insurance for my services need to be aware that some information respecting their treatment is forwarded to their insurance carrier.  At present, the insurance companies demand a minimum of information, however this information does include your diagnosis.  I have no way of knowing what your insurance company does with this information, nor with whom they share it.

    Many clients are concerned about the number of times their insurance carrier will let them see me.  In Massachusetts, the state mandate is 24 sessions a year, or approximately one session every other week.  Massachusetts however, also has a Parity Act.  The Parity Act specifies that if you have certain specific mental disorders (such as Bipolar, ADHD, Schizophrenia) you may have as many sessions as are considered medically necessary (that is more then 24 a year).  Some insurance companies offer more then 24 sessions a year as part of their contract with employers.  The one notable exception to the 24 sessions a year standard are certain of the skilled trades which are self-insured and may have as few as 8 sessions a year.

    In addition to payments by your insurance company, most insurance plans demand that you, the client, pay a co-pay for each session.  Co-payments range from $ 5.00 to $ 50.00 depending on your insurance plan.  The insurance company expects those it insures to pay their co-payments.  When allowing a therapist such as myself on their panel (that is allowing me to see their insured and bill them for these services), the insurance company has me sign a contract that, in addition to other matters, binds me to ask for and collect your co-payment.  From the insurance company's point of view, your co-payment is part of the total payment for services to which I am entitled.

    I often see clients who have two different insurances at the same time.  Typically, these clients have a commercial insurance and Mass Health (i.e. Medicaid).  These clients wish to have their commercial insurance company pay for the sessions and want me to bill Mass Health for their co-payment.  There is, unfortunately, no way for me to bill Mass Health for your co-payment.  When confronted with the fact that I cannot bill Mass Health for co-payments, clients will then ask if I can't simply bill Mass Health for the entire cost of sessions.  This also cannot be done.  The law provides that, if a client has both a commercial insurance and Mass Health, the commercial insurance sessions for the year must be totally used up before I can start to bill Mass Health for sessions.

    In addition to co-payments, some insurances have deductibles.  With these insurances, clients need to pay a certain amount out of pocket for (all) health services before the insurance company will pay for sessions.

    From time to time a client will present with an insurance plan of which I have not heard.  When I have checked into these plans I have discovered I can see the client and bill their insurance carrier.  Thus, if you do not see your insurance carrier listed below, call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card and ask them if you can see me under their plan.

    At present I accept payment from, and am on the panels of, the following insurance companies:

HARVARD PILGRIM                                            VALUE OPTIONS

PACIFICARE                                                          BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD

HEALTH CARE VALUE MANAGEMENT             TRICARE (U.S. Government Military Insurance)

UNITED BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH CARE            UNITED HEALTH CARE

BOSTON MEDICAL CENTRE HEALTH NET        MAGELLAN

CHILDREN'S MEDICAL SECURITY                      MENTAL HEALTH NETWORK

AETNA                                                                     OXFORD HEALTH

COMPSYCH                                                             NEIGHBOURHOOD HEALTH PLAN

BEACON HEALTH STRATEGIES                           MASS HEALTH

COMPSYCH - EAP                                                  UBH - EPA

TUFTS                                                                      COMMONWEALTH HEALTH

CONSOLIDATED HEALTH PLANS (This is mandatory health insurance for college students who do not have private insurance).

OTHER FORMS OF PAYMENT:

    In addition to accepting insurance, I am pleased to accept fee-for-service payments, that is cash payments for my services.  The costs of fee-for-service are $ 100.00 for the intake session and $ 80.00 for all remaining sessions.  Cash and cheques are acceptable, I do not accept credit cards.  In instances of client economic hardship - long term unemployment, terminal illness, certain other life circumstances - I am willing to negotiate a sliding scale with clients.  (Sliding scales are simply reduced fees per session based on what the client can afford and what I can accept).