Fees and Policies

Payment is expected at the time of the session in the form of checks, cash, and credit or debit cards.

Some sliding scale session hours are offered, based on need and scheduling availability. Adjustments or payment arrangements can be discussed with your therapist.

Each of our Associates offer a limited number of sliding scale session hours. Our counseling interns (also listed under our Associates tab) will have more availability to provide therapy at reduced rates. Please specify this need when you reach out, so that we can best meet your needs.

A breakdown of our standard fees can be seen on the Client Forms tab below, in the Practice Policies and Fees 2023 Document.

Insurance

Therapy is sometimes covered by insurance, in which case a copay is commonly required. Depending on your plan, you may have to meet a deductible before your insurance will pay any portion of your treatment.

If your therapist is not an in-network provider for your plan, therapy will be considered “out-of-network.” In this case, you will be required to pay the full cost of your appointment. Your therapist will give you a receipt at the end of each session, which you can submit to your insurance company for out-of-network reimbursement.

We are considered IN-NETWORK for each of these major health insurance plans:

  • BCBS of North Carolina (including NC State Health Plan, Blue Options and Blue Advantage)
  • Most BCBS Plans from other states
  • Federal Employee BCBS Plans
  • Duke University Student Health Plan
  • Medicare (Traditional Medicare only; not Medicare Advantage)

Please note that we are NOT IN-NETWORK with the following health insurance plans:

  • Blue Local
  • Blue Home

NOTICE OF RIGHT TO RECEIVE A GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE OF EXPECTED CHARGES UNDER THE NO SURPRISES ACT:

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the law, as of January 1, 2022 health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes  related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.

Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least one business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose     for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or 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 or call me at 919-391-0435.

YOUR RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS

When you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an  in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing.

What is “balance billing” (sometimes called “surprise billing”)?

When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, such as a copayment, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.

“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit.

“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care – like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider.

You are protected from balance billing for:

Emergency services: If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable  condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services.

Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center: When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections  not to be balance billed.

If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance  bill you unless you give written consent and give up your protections.

You’re never required to give up your protection from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network

When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have the following protections:

You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly.

Your health plan generally must:

  • Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (prior authorization).
  • Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers.
  • Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in-network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits.
  • Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your deductible and out-of-pocket limit.

If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact: North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board  336-625-1679

Visit https://www.cms.gov/files/document/model-disclosure-notice-patient-protections-against-surprise-billing-providers-facilities-health.pdf for more information about your rights under Federal law.

Client Forms

Please feel free to review our client forms, which will provide our rates and information about our privacy policies. Once you have scheduled an appointment, you will be invited to register for our client portal and to complete these forms confidentially, online.

What to Expect
Psychotherapy is based on numerous factors which, in dynamic balance, can help participants achieve:
  • Insight
  • Increased clarity
  • Resolution of issues (both current and past)
  • Greater confidence
  • Increased self-esteem
  • Decreased anxiety and/or depression
  • Cessation of troublesome symptoms
  • Improved relationships
  • Greater health and vitality
  • A fuller life experience
In your initial sessions, you will experience some combination of the following:
  • Comprehensive discussion of the reason(s) you are seeking treatment
  • Assessment of safety – such as risks for self-harm, relationship harm, family violence, etc.
  • Review of your history – including but not limited to: developmental, family, relationships, education, career, health, prior treatment(s), etc.
  • Exploration of your dreams and goals
  • Exploration of your strengths and resources
  • Specific assessment and identification of acute symptoms for issues such as eating disorders, PTSD, dissociation, ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, etc.
The frequency of sessions is an individual choice, although experience has taught us some reasonable expectations:
  • Especially in the early stage of therapy, a minimum of weekly sessions are useful for building rapport and comfort and establishing a solid sense of continuity in the therapeutic process.
  • When symptoms are acute (and that means different things for each person), more frequent sessions can be helpful. Intensified frequency (such as twice weekly or more) can result in a greater sense of goal directedness, feeling more supported, more ease in interrupting unhealthy patterns of behavior, and a deeper involvement in one’s therapy process.
  • Over time, decreased frequency may feel like a natural transition once therapy goals are clearly established and/or initial concerns have been resolved. Sometimes every-other-week appointments may also be preferable due to scheduling needs.