Insurance & Fees
Insurance
We believe that people should be covered by insurance for mental health services, because … isn’t that the point of insurance? We endeavor to continue to diligently negotiate with insurance companies so that we (and other providers!) can bring high-quality psychiatric services to more people who need them.
At this time, we are a preferred provider with:
Cash, Check, or Credit Card
A Word about Blue Cross / Blue Shield
If you have coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, please note that they may have sub-contracted mental health services to any number of agencies, for which we may or may not be considered an in-network provider. We are out-of-network with Blue Shield, except when the mental-health portion of the plan is managed by Anthem.
If you have coverage by an insurance company for which we are a preferred provider, you will not be billed our regular rates. Rather, your insurance company would pay us a negotiated rate.
Despite our best intentions and efforts, we have not been able to panel with all insurance plains and am considered out-of-network for some of them. We do not accept Kaiser or Medi-Cal.
You are likely still be responsible for some out of pocket costs, including deductibles, co-pays, and/or co-insurance. we recommend contacting your insurance company or our office before making an appointment to avoid any surprises.
If you are currently covered by another PPO, we are considered an out-of-network provider and you would be charged regular rates. We can provide billing statements that you may use to receive at least partial reimbursements.
Fees
If you prefer to pay cash for privacy or other reasons, our current rates are
- $395 for the initial evaluation (45-60 mins),
- $395 for regular/complex follow ups (45 mins), and
- $195 for simple follow up visits (25 mins).
We may not bill for some common services that happen outside of your therapy session. Such services include: filing uncomplicated prior authorization requests; uncomplicated collaborations with your primary care doctor or your therapist; having a routine amount of communication with your pharmacist; and engaging in a reasonable amount of communication with you.
If we are spending a disproportionate amount of time on your behalf outside of the office visit, we will need to bill on a pro-rated basis at $395 per hour. Examples of such services include: excessive crisis management efforts, complicated prior authorization requests for medications for which a reasonable alternative is available on your formulary, filling out disability forms, and writing letters. We will let you know ahead of time, so that you can make an informed decision on whether or not you would like me to provide such services.
Payment
Payment is collected at the time of service by cash, credit card, or check made out to Well Coast Medical Corporation. We will need to keep a current credit card on file. This information will be stored securely in your chart.
Please note that the continued availability of our services is contingent upon your being current on your account. We will not see you if you have not paid in full for any and all services previously rendered by us.
No-Show/Late Cancellation Fees
As will be detailed in your initial scheduling call and your client agreement, we have a strict 72-hour advance notice policy for cancellations and rescheduling. If you cancel or reschedule less than 72 hours before your scheduled appointment, or otherwise no-show to your appointment, you will automatically be charged the full cash rate applicable to your appointment, regardless of your insurance coverage. We do not make exceptions to this policy, and we ask that you respect your provider’s time, as well as the opportunity lost by other clients due to late cancellations or no-shows.
