+ PAYMENT AND INSURANCE

We do not accept insurance. All appointments are considered fee-for-service, meaning you are expected to pay the appointment fee at the time of service. Most individuals are reimbursed by insurance companies at the “out-of-network” rate. Credit cards, checks, and cash are accepted. You may also be able to use a health savings account.

Reduced Fee

We have several doctoral-level externs and interns who are supervised by licensed psychologists and provide services at a reduced fee. If this is of interest, let the front desk know when calling to schedule an intake.

Fee Schedule

In general, our services for individual therapy, nutrition, medication management, skills classes, and intensive programming range from $175-$400 per hour.

We charge for case management fees (e.g. letter writing, IEP meetings, or other treatment planning) and printed record requests.

Submitting Claims to Insurance for Out-of-Network Reimbursement

If you have health insurance you may have out-of-network benefits that could cover a percentage of your appointment fees. In order to determine if your insurance company will reimburse you for the cost of therapy or dietitian appointments, it is recommended that you contact them directly. We always provide you with an invoice to submit for session reimbursement.

Questions to Ask Your Insurance Company to Determine Reimbursement Eligibility:

1/ Do I have out-of-network benefits to see a licensed psychologist and/or registered dietitian? Provide the following CPT codes to your insurance company representative:

• Psychiatrist**: initial session 90792 and follow-up sessions 99214 (25 mins) or 99215 (40 mins)
• Psychologist**: initial session 90791 and follow-up sessions 90834

• Dietitian**: initial session 97802 and follow-up sessions 97803

• Skills Classes**: group session 90853 and multi-family group sessions 90849

2/ If yes, what percentage do you cover and is that a percentage of the total fee or the “usual and customary fee?”

3/ If it is a percentage of the “usual and customary fee,” what is that amount?

4/ Is preauthorization required in order to submit an out-of-network claim?

5/ What is the deductible, and how much of the deductible have I met?

6/ How many sessions are covered and within what time period?

7/ What forms do I need to submit to qualify for reimbursement?

Legal Disclaimer

Clients are discouraged from having their clinician subpoenaed or requesting they provide records for the purpose of litigation. Even though you are responsible for the testimony fee (see informed consent for fees), it does not mean that your clinician’s testimony will be solely in your favor. Your clinician can only testify to the facts of the case and to their professional opinion in regards to you, the patient. Your clinician would rather not damage the trust and relationship that has been built. PBS can provide referral information for providers who are routinely involved in legal matters.

+ IS DBT COST EFFECTIVE?

Accumulating evidence indicates that DBT reduces the cost of treatment. For example, the American Psychiatric Association (1998) estimated that DBT decreased costs by 56% – when comparing the treatment year with the year prior to treatment – in a community-based program.

In particular, reductions were evident by decreased face-to-face emergency services contact (80%), hospital days (77%), partial hospitalizations (76%), and crises bed days (56%). The decrease in hospital costs (~$26,000 per client) far outweighed the outpatient services cost increase (~$6,500 per client). Learn more here.

+HOW DO I END TREATMENT?

In the first few appointments, our team spends time working on commitment to treatment to ensure we can provide helpful interventions for individual's specific goals. We hope to work with you when it comes time to end treatment.

Clients and providers may end therapy for any number of reasons. Whatever the motivation for discontinuing treatment, this transition can be both rewarding and challenging.

If you believe your time at PBS may be coming to a close, please consider the following:

• The decision to end therapy can be initiated by the client. Please inform your provider if you are considering ending treatment.

• Once this decision has been made, we recommend that clients and providers meet for several closure sessions to review goals, evaluate progress, and discuss feelings related to the transition.

• Because “endings” are a natural part of life, this process is a helpful way to practice ending relationships in a healthy way.

• Ending therapy without first discussing the transition with a provider means that clients do not receive the full benefits of their treatment.

• In the absence of these sessions, clients may experience upsetting feelings related to ending therapy. Additionally, we will not have the opportunity to provide referrals or insights for clients who plan to seek treatment elsewhere.

• Our team of providers are committed to supporting clients through this process, regardless of the reasons for discontinuing treatment.

+ CAN I BRING MY PET TO MY SESSION?

If animals are a part of any one’s self-soothe and are helpful with regulating emotions, it can be requested that they join your session. Feel free to let the front desk know!