Frequently Asked Questions

---

I use Ivy Pay to collect payment. It is an app specifically designed for therapist in private practice. It allows you to put a card on file without providing me with your information directly. Payment is processed with a push of a button. Cash, check, debit cards, FSA, HSA, & Credit Cards are accepted forms of payment. IvyPay is designed to be HIPAA-secure. 

 I can provide you with a billing statement or a "super bill" that you can provide to your insurance company for possible out-of-pocket expenses. This may allow you to be reimbursed for partial or all out-of-pocket expenses. Please check your coverage carefully by calling your insurance company's customer service number and asking if they will reimburse you for out-of-network expenses. 

If you need to cancel or make changes to a scheduled appointment, please notify me at least 36 hours prior to your appointment time via phone (leave a message if I do not answer), email or text. If your appointment is cancelled less than 36 hours in advance, you will be charged 50% of the session fee. All no shows will be charged full session fee.  

Under the No Surprises Act (H.R. 133) enacted on January 2, 2022 :

Clients have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost.  Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services. 

Clients have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services. 

Clients can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. 

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

RECORDS

Requests/Retrieval California Statute 10 Cal. Evid. Code §1563(b) allows providers to charge a retrieval fee forl records sent to entities such as law offices, disability claims, and other organizations. While patient record requests will be fulfilled, there is an allowable 15 business days to fulfill the request, per California statute. Please see table below for retrieval fees.

• Ten cents ($0.10) per page for documents 8.5×14 inches or less
• Twenty cents ($0.20) per page for document copies from microfilm
• Actual costs for oversize documents or special processing
• Reasonable clerical costs incurred in locating and making the records available to be billed at the maximum rate of sixteen dollars ($24) per hour per person, computed on the basis of four dollars ($6) per quarter hour or fraction thereof
• Actual postage charges
• Actual costs, if any, charged to the witness by a third person for the retrieval and return of records held by that third person.

COURT AND LEGAL FEES

Clients are discouraged from having me subpoenaed or having me provide records for the purpose of litigation. Even though you are responsible for the testimony fee, it does not mean that my testimony will be solely in your favor. I can only testify to the facts of the case and to my professional opinion. Furthermore, if I see both a child and parent separately, there is an obvious conflict of interest. I would rather not damage the trust I have built in the counseling relationship with each client, especially if I am still seeing that person for therapy.

If I am to receive a subpoena, the attorney or office staff will need to call my office and set up a time for the subpoena to be served during office hours. I request a minimum of 72 hours notice of any court appearance so that schedule changes for my clients can be made within a reasonable time frame.

Please note: If a subpoena or notice to meet attorney(s) is received without a minimum of 72 hour notice, there will be an additional $250 express charge, which must be paid prior to my appearance in the courtroom.

When it comes to court action, the following fees are in effect:

1. Preparation Time (including submission of records): $200/hr (billable in 15 minute increments) 2. Phone calls: $200/hr (billable in 15 minute increments)

3. Depositions: $250/hour

4. Time required in Giving Testimony: $250/hour

5. Mileage: .40/mile

6. All attorney fees and costs that are incurred by me as a result of the legal action.

7. Filing documents with the court: $100 flat fee

8. The minimum charge for a court appearance: $1000

A retainer of $1000 is due at least 72 business hours before the scheduled court appearance. The remainder of the costs will be billed after the court appearance and will be due upon receipt. If I am subpoenaed, and the case is continued with less than 48 business hours notice prior to the beginning of the day of the scheduled court appearance and/or the testimony is not given, then the client will be charged $500 (in addition to original retainer of $1000 for having to appear in court). All fees listed above are doubled if the therapist is scheduled to be going out of town. Bills are presented to clients on a weekly basis and payment is expected upon receipt.