The policies are fully explained in your initial signed disclosures. The following paragraphs are only a few highlights:
Late Cancellations and Missed Appointments: I require a minimum of 48 business hours notice to cancel or reschedule your appointment. Late cancellations and missed appointments (no-shows) will be charged at the private pay rate for the type of your visit since insurances do not cover this. If you can even BRIEFLY show up for the appointment, your insurance can be charged.
Medication Refills Outside of Office Visits:
- Appointments: Prescriptions and refills are discussed at the time of the visit. Patients are unlikely to run out of medications if they keep their appointments.
- Schedule return appointments promptly to avoid running low on medications
- Controlled substances: will not be refilled outside of appointments, even if prescriptions are lost. These include benzodiazepines, hypnotics, analgesics and stimulants.
- Prescriptions for other medications, refilled outside of appointments, incur a fee per each medication. EMAIL me (do not use voicemail) for refill requests. Please indicate medication names, frequency, needed doses and number of pills, pharmacy contact information, and acknowledge you understand there is a fee for the refill.
- Prescriptions are filled during office hours with a 48 business hours turn around time. This is a solo practice with no nurses to process refill requests. Other options may include asking the pharmacy care or urgent care clinicians for a few tablets to tide one.
- Pharmacies are NOT to fax/send refill requests. Do not have pharmacies do automatic or regular refills, as this will slow down your refill request.
- Refills are typically written for one month, unless there is a prior agreement in place. If one has not been seen in three months or does not have an upcoming appointment, medications will not be refilled until a new appointment has been arranged.
Group Therapy Patients:
- Cancellation: A commitment to therapy and your growth is the key to success. As long as you are enrolled in the group therapy, you are responsible for the fee. Please note that this is different from the individual appointment policy. The insurance cannot be charged for any missed sessions and payment is the patient’s responsibility. You will still be responsible for payment regardless of the reason for cancellation, whether it is an emergency or non-emergency or if you’ve given notice of the cancellation. Your presence in the group is unique, and I cannot fill your space with someone else when you miss. As is the case with rent, classes in a course, or membership dues in a club, I ask for payment for the package of sessions whether you are present or whether you miss; this policy ensures that the group expenses are covered even when members are absent. This policy also ensures that everyone in the group has the same financial investment, regardless of sessions missed. Any questions about the schedule, fees, or other group-related questions should be directed to me, not the front desk.
- Double Appointments on the Same Day: Please note that insurances do not usually cover the group therapy fee if you are seeing me for an individual session on the same day of the group. It is the patients’ responsibility to pay attention to this to avoid the out-of- pocket group therapy fee.