PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES Psychotherapy is not easily described in general statements. It varies depending on the personalities of the psychologist and patient, and the particular problems you hope to address. There are many different methods I may use to deal with those problems. Psychotherapy is not like a medical doctor visit. Instead, it calls for a very active effort on your part. In order for the therapy to be most successful, you will have to work on things we talk about both during our sessions and at home. Psychotherapy can have benefits and risks. Because therapy often involves discussing unpleasant aspects of your life, you may experience uncomfortable feelings like sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness. When treating insomnia specifically, therapy might cause you to experience increased sleepiness and fatigue, especially in the early phases of treatment. On the other hand, psychotherapy has also been shown to have benefits for people who go through it. Therapy often leads to better relationships, solutions to specific problems, significant reductions in feelings of distress, improved sleep, and less fatigue. But there are no guarantees as to what you will experience. Our first session will involve an evaluation of your needs. By the end of the evaluation, I will be able to offer you some first impressions of what our work will include and a treatment plan to follow, if you decide to continue with me for therapy. You should evaluate this information along with your own opinions about whether you feel comfortable working with me. At the end of the evaluation, I will notify you if I believe that I am not the right therapist for you and if so, I will give you referrals to other practitioners who I believe are better suited to help you. Therapy involves a large commitment of time, money, and energy, so you should be very careful about the therapist you select. If you have questions about my procedures, we should discuss them whenever they arise. If your doubts persist, I will be happy to help you set up a meeting with another mental health professional for a second opinion. Please note that the psychological services I provide are not for emergency situations. For emergencies, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. FEES My fee is $395 for an initial evaluation lasting 90 minutes, and $250 for each subsequent psychotherapy session (either in-person or over the telephone) lasting 45 minutes. I charge this same $250 per 45-minutes rate for other professional services you may need, though I will prorate the cost if I work for periods of less than 45 minutes in increments of 15 minutes, rounded to the nearest 15-minute increment (e.g., 22 minutes of service will be charged for 15 minutes whereas 23 minutes of service will be charged for 30 minutes). Other professional services include telephone conversations or email responses lasting longer than 15 minutes, and the time spent performing any other service you may request of me. If you become involved in legal proceedings that require my participation, you will be expected to pay for any professional time I spend on your legal matter, even if the request comes from another party, at the same $250 per 45-minutes rate. I do not charge for time spent writing reports and progress notes as per the standard routine of my care of you. I also do not charge for any time I may spend collaborating with your other providers. From time to time, I may institute fee increases and these will be discussed and agreed upon ahead of time with a new Treatment Contract. If it has been more than one year since our last appointment, then you will re-initiate services at my current standard fee which may be higher than the fee you were previously paying. In addition, if it has been more than one year since our last appointment, you will be scheduled for another initial evaluation (90 minutes) and charged accordingly, with subsequent 45-minute psychotherapy sessions thereafter. INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT You are responsible for paying your full session fee. I am not in-network with any insurance companies. If you decide to submit claims to your insurance company for reimbursement for any out-of-network benefits you might have, you may do so. However, be aware that the services provided will still be charged to you, not your insurance company, and you are responsible for the full payment. I have no role in deciding what your insurance covers. You are responsible for checking your insurance coverage, deductibles, payment rates, pre-authorization procedures, etc. Missed appointments, late cancellations (i.e., cancellations within 24 hours of service), and telephone session are not typically covered by insurance companies and therefore you will likely be responsible for the full session fee in these instances. If your insurance company doesn’t reimburse you, I am not responsible for refunding you any payment you expected to be reimbursed or otherwise. I will provide you a superbill after each session with the following information that you will need to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement for any out-of-network benefits you might have:
Incompetency Any benefit payable to or for the benefit of the Executive, if legally incompetent, or incapable of giving a receipt therefor, shall be deemed paid when paid to the Executive's guardian or to the party providing or reasonably appearing to provide for the care of such person, and such payment shall fully discharge the Company.
Incompetence (3) Willful misconduct;
MENTAL DISORDER As defined in the 32 CFR 199.2: For the purposes of the payment of benefits, a mental disorder is a nervous or mental condition that involves a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that is associated with a painful symptom, such as distress, and that impairs a patient’s ability to function in one or more major life activities. A Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a mental condition that involves a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress; impaired control over substance use; social impairment; and risky use of a substance(s). Additionally, the mental disorder must be one of those conditions listed in the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). “Conditions Not Attributable to a Mental Disorder,” or V codes (Z codes in the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM)), are not considered diagnosable mental disorders. Co-occurring mental and substance use disorders are common and assessment should proceed as soon as it is possible to distinguish the substance related symptoms from other independent conditions.
Death, Incompetency, or Bankruptcy of Member On the death, adjudicated incompetence, or bankruptcy of a Member, unless the Company exercises its rights under Section 8.5, the successor in interest to the Member (whether an estate, bankruptcy trustee, or otherwise) will receive only the economic right to receive distributions whenever made by the Company and the Member's allocable share of taxable income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit (the "Economic Rights") unless and until a majority of the other Members determined on a per capita basis admit the transferee as a fully substituted Member in accordance with the provisions of Section 8.3.
Diagnosis For a condition to be considered a covered illness or disorder, copies of laboratory tests results, X-rays, or any other report or result of clinical examinations on which the diagnosis was based, are required as part of the positive diagnosis by a physician.
Medical Emergency A medical condition which manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that a prudent layperson, who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine, could reasonably expect the absence of immediate attention to result in 1) placing the health of the individual (or with respect to a pregnant woman, the health of the woman or her unborn child) in serious jeopardy; 2) serious impairment to bodily functions; or 3) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. Examples of a medical emergency are severe pain, suspected heart attacks and fractures. Examples of a non- medical emergency are minor cuts and scrapes. Medically Necessary and Medical Necessity Services a physician, exercising prudent clinical judgment, would use with a patient to prevent, evaluate, diagnose or treat an illness or injury or its symptoms. These services must: Agree with generally accepted standards of medical practice Be clinically appropriate in type, frequency, extent, site and duration., They must also be considered effective for the patient’s illness, injury or disease Not be mostly for the convenience of the patient, physician, or other healthcare provider. They do not cost more than another service or series of services that are at least as likely to produce equivalent therapeutic or diagnostic results for the diagnosis or treatment of that patient’s illness, injury or disease. For these purposes, “generally accepted standards of medical practice” means standards that are based on credible scientific evidence published in peer reviewed medical literature. This published evidence is recognized by the relevant medical community, physician specialty society recommendations and the views of physicians practicing in relevant clinical areas and any other relevant factors. Member Any person covered under this plan. Mental Condition A condition that is listed in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This does not include conditions and treatments for chemical dependency. Mental Health Services Medically necessary outpatient and inpatient services provided to treat mental conditions. State and federal law require that the copays and coinsurance for mental health services will be no more than the copays and coinsurance for medical and surgical services. Prescription drugs for mental conditions are covered under the same terms and conditions as other prescription drugs covered under this plan.
Personal Harassment (a) The Employer and the Union recognize the right of employees to work in an environment free from personal harassment and agree that employees who engage in personal harassment may be disciplined.
Divorce If in connection with the dissolution of the marriage of any married Member, the Member enters into a property settlement agreement or any court issues an interlocutory decree or other order, the terms of which transfer or award all or part of the Interest of the Member in the Company to the Member’s spouse, whether as a confirmation or a disposition of the spouse’s property rights or otherwise.
Nurse Practitioner (Employer Appointed Position) “Nurse Practitioner” means a Registered Nurse appointed as such to a position approved by the employer and who is authorised by the Board under Section 95 of Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) No 86A. A Nurse Practitioner will have at least three years full-time equivalent experience in an advanced practice role and meets the national competency standards for Nurse Practitioners. A Nurse Practitioner functions autonomously and operates at a level of nursing that uses extended and expanded skills, experience and knowledge assessment, planning, implementation, diagnosis and evaluation of nursing care. A.5.1
