ServicesI provide psychotherapy for individual men and women, support groups for men, and phone consultation for individuals outside of the San Francisco Bay Area. If you’d like to talk with me about any of these services or arrange an appointment, please phone me at 415-346-6719 or visit the Contact page on this web site. Please note that all information you discuss with me will be kept strictly confidential within the limits of the law and will not be disclosed without your written consent. Fee InformationPlease phone for my current fee schedule. Although I do not participate in any insurance panels, if you have insurance coverage for mental health services, I can provide you with an invoice for services rendered. These invoices can be submitted to your insurance carrier for reimbursement. A Few Words About Health Insurance And Your PrivacyIf you have insurance coverage for mental health services, you may choose to accept reimbursement from your carrier. I will provide you with an invoice indicating payment, which you can submit to your carrier.
I do not bill insurance companies and do not participate in any insurance panels. There are a couple of important reasons for this. One of the main reasons is that submitting a mental health invoice for reimbursement carries a risk to your confidentiality, privacy, and future eligibility for health or life insurance. When insurance is used for psychotherapy, the treatment must be considered “medically necessary.” What this means is that your psychotherapist is required to provide for you a psychiatric diagnosis. This diagnosis goes on your health record – which is a public record – and can affect you and your coverage in the future. Once you have begun psychotherapy, your sessions must be continually “justified” (meaning you must be considered “sick”) for your insurance company to continue to pay for your sessions. In fact, many people I see for psychotherapy are not “mentally ill” and cannot honestly be assigned a psychiatric diagnosis; they are struggling with problems in living. Another important reason is that your confidentiality is at risk when you use insurance. Various people receive and review your records. Information is often transmitted through the Internet, which is not a confidential form of communication. For example, all e-mail messages are saved in the logs of Internet service providers and are accessible to various people and organizations. Call now to schedule an appointment or visit the Contact page.415-346-6719Information on this web site is for educational purposes only. It may provide some self-help relief. However, it should not substitute for a comprehensive evaluation by a licensed mental health professional. |
Keep in mind, however, that professional services are rendered and charged to you, not your insurance carrier. You will be responsible for paying me directly and for filing insurance claims.