Frequently Asked Questions
How much do services cost?
The standard fee for services through Christian Perspective Counseling is $130 per therapy hour provided by master's-level clinicians and $150 per therapy hour provided by psychologists. However, we also have lower cost options available which you can learn more about by clicking here. Some insurances are accepted, but coverage varies widely between policies and depending on the service received. For questions about your policy coverage, feel free to contact us and we can look into your benefits for you. The client is ultimately responsible for the entire bill and we accept cash, check, and credit/debit cards. Other services such as evaluations, behavior plan development, referrals, and court appearances may be available. Please ask your clinician about their fees for such services. Standard psychiatric service fees are available upon request as well.
CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR FULL FEE PAYMENT POLICY
Do you accept insurance?
We do accept direct reimbursement from select insurance networks, including:
- Ambetter
- AR Benefits
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Health Advantage
- Municipal Health Benefit Fund
- Qualchoice
Remember, coverage varies widely between policies and depending on the service received. For questions about your policy coverage, feel free to contact us and we can look into your benefits for you so you can know what your out-of-pocket responsibility will be before beginning treatment. We ask you to also be mindful that, after we've exhausted all efforts to utilize your insurance benefits, you, the client, are ultimately responsible for the entire bill. Sometimes, we're able to help clients utilize their out-of-network benefits but this varies depending on the insurance provider. Please contact us directly and we'll do all we can to help in such instances.
Will I receive a diagnosis?
If no insurance benefits are utilized, a diagnosis is likely not required. In some instances, a diagnosis may be required/desired for other purposes and this can be discussed with your clinician.
While utilizing insurance benefits often helps to make services financially sustainable, there are some issues that are worth mentioning. Most insurances require evidence that a service is “medically necessary” before they will reimburse for it, and this evidence is provided in the form of a diagnosis. While the diagnosis, identified by your clinician in the course of your first few sessions and updated as needed, is based on very specific criteria to ensure accuracy, it is added to your health record. Also, while only the minimal amount necessary is shared, your protected health information (including the diagnosis) must be shared with your insurance provider in order for them to allow your benefits to be utilized. To view our full Privacy Policy, click here.
All that having been said, you may simply need help through a difficult time in your life or with a strained relationship and diagnoses for such matters have effectively no practical impact on clients (i.e., when your PCP diagnoses you with a sinus infection). In fact, relationship counseling and some other matters often does/do not warrant a diagnosis. However, due to this, they may not be covered by your insurance ( i.e., marital therapy).
How often will sessions occur?
There are many factors that can affect how frequently therapy sessions occur, including the level of distress you're experiencing, the amount of direct assistance from your clinician necessary for treatment to be effective, how quickly you want to move towards your goals, and cost. It usually works best if therapy sessions occur weekly in the beginning. Then, as the circumstances/symptoms ease, session frequency can taper off until they are no longer needed at all. On the other hand, some choose to meet multiple times per week or maintain weekly sessions throughout the entirety of their treatment. Be sure to talk to your clinician regularly about your needs and goals so there can be ongoing agreement about the frequency needed for optimal results.
Psychological assessment sessions are paced according to the specific goals and tests for your situation. Psychiatric appointments often occur every-other week to start to monitor for effectiveness and side effects. Then, every 1-6 month(s) medication checks are utilized as determined by the doctor or the regulation of medications being used.
How long do sessions usually last?
For your initial evaluation, we ask that you come prepared by reading/completing the relevant documents provided via the client portal and bringing your questions. Up to ninety minutes may be needed for the initial evaluation but subsequent therapy sessions generally last 50 minutes. In the event that our work is expected to take longer than 50 minutes, the appropriate time frame will need to be scheduled in advance and will be billed in 15-minute increments.
For psychological assessment, multiple 60-90 minute sessions are often necessary, and this will be determined based on the specific goals and assessments for your situation. Be sure to ask your psychologist or the office staff about this when scheduling.
What happens if I miss a scheduled session?
Emergencies happen and missed appointments for true emergencies will not incur a fee. If you're unable to keep your appointment for any reason, we just ask that you notify us immediately at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled time. Each time an appointment is cancelled or missed without 48 hours prior notice due to a non-emergency, you will be charged $40. Your therapist also reserves the right to charge the full session amount or deny services for repeatedly missing appointments. Initial evaluations and psychiatric appointments that aren't cancelled with enough notice or are missed for non-emergency reasons will be billed at the full out-of-pocket rate for the service. Unfortunately, the late cancellation/no show fee doesn't apply to these services.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL POLICY