BILLING:
Insurance:  I am solely a provider for Anthem/Blue Cross.  I bill to Anthem monthly.  Once payment is received I notify clients of their portion.  Insurance policies vary dramatically, and clients are responsible for determining their coverage.
Self-pay/out-of-network:  for clients without insurance, or those for whom I am out-of-network, I accept payment either weekly or monthly.  The fee for a 50 minute session is $225.00.  I can provide an invoice for potential reimbursement.
Victims of Crime:  I have extensive experience with the Victims of Crime program and can complete all necessary paperwork for reimbursement.  Clients typically incur no fees if accepted by this program.

 

PRIVACY:
Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”), you have the right to know how your personal health information is used and protected.  I am permitted to use and disclose your health information for the purposes of providing treatment, payment for services rendered and healthcare operations.  Consent for treatment therefore includes permission to use and disclose your personal health information as follows:

Treatment:  I may use and disclose your health information to a physician, psychiatrist or other mental health clinician who provides treatment to you.  The purpose of this disclosure is for coordination of treatment.  It is my personal policy to acquire a release of information from you even though it may not be technically necessary.

Payment:  I may disclose your health information to obtain payment for services provided to you.

Emergencies:  I may use and disclose your health information to emergency personnel in case a situation warrants such action.  This may include a person you have indicated as an emergency contact.

Mandated Reporting:  I may use or disclose your health information when mandated by law.  This includes reporting child and/or elder/dependent adult abuse, or harm to self or others.

Your personal health information may also be shared when you have authorized it.  For example you may authorize phone/voicemail messages, emails, FAXs and other such modes of communication.  My office voicemail is password protected, as is the desktop for my professional emails.  If a FAX is sent to my office, there are several other professional colleagues, also mandated to follow HIPAA policies, who may collect and distribute incoming material.  Any electronic billing will be conducted on a password protected computer.  I am a sole practitioner and have no clerical employees, and am therefore the only person with access to client files.  All files are stored at the office in locked metal file cabinets.

You may also choose to have personal health information released to non-healthcare parties.  A “Release of Information” form will be signed outlining the particulars of the communication, and may be revoked at any time.

Access to Records:  if you request a review of your personal health information, it is my policy to provide a treatment summary.  If this is insufficient, an alternative is to schedule a session to review the information together.

Retention of Records:  the standard of care dictates that a client's records are retained for seven years after treatment has ended.  For minors, the timeframe is seven years after their 18th birthday.

As I am responsible for the privacy protection of my practice, any questions should be referred to me at (805) 570-1926.

Complaint Procedures:  should you believe that your privacy rights have been violated, or if you have any concern about the handling of your personal health information, you may notify me at (805) 570-1926 and/or submit a written complaint to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C., 20201.