Insurance

 

 

 

 

 

Insurance

“Do you accept insurance?”

Yes, I accept several insurance plans.

Unfortunately, I am not able to accept all insurance.

There are several reasons for this:

• Insurance companies limit how many providers they allow to see their consumers.
• Insurance companies may exclude services by certain types of providers.
• Insurance companies may require an application be submitted before they consider qualifying a provider. Applications take hours to prepare and weeks for them to process.  Submitting an application doesn’t guarantee they will accept me as a provider.
• Some insurance companies pay rates I’m not able to accept.

Due to these and other reasons, many clients choose to pay out-of-pocket for services.

Clients with Flex Spending Accounts (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) can use these accounts to pay for my services.

Pros and Cons of Using Insurance

Pros

• It’s a benefit you’ve earned through your employer.
• If services are covered, your costs are likely reduced.
• It may help you access multiple services at the same time like counseling and psychiatry.

Cons

• Mental/Behavioral health care services are often not covered in the same way as medical health care.
• You may have to meet a deductible before your benefits start to pay for services.
• There may be limits to how many sessions and what type of services you get.
• Your insurance company may require additional paperwork and/or assessments be completed.
• Your insurance company will require a diagnosis to process your insurance claims.
• Your insurance company may request to access your records and/or to request private medical information.
• If your insurance company chooses not to pay a claim, you will be responsible for the balance.

“Does my insurance cover your services?”

Accepted Insurance

Below are some policies I accept. Beware: Seeing your plan below is no guarantee these plans continue to pay for services.  To be sure, I need to verify your insurance to determine what your coverage allows.  If your insurance is not listed, I may still be able to see you under your policy.

✓ Aetna

✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)

✓ CBCA

✓ Cigna

✓ Compsych

✓ Magellan

✓ Mental Health Network (MHN)

✓ NTCA

✓ Principle Life

✓ Tricare

✓ Unicare

✓ United Behavioral Health

✓ United Healthcare

✓ Value Options

Verifying Your Insurance Benefits

1. You can verify benefits yourself by calling the “Customer Service” number located on your insurance card and inform them you are seeking counseling services with me.  They will let you know if services are covered.  If so, they should provide you an “authorization number”, which I will need to process your billing.
2. You can request my billing service – GMA Medical Billing – to verify your insurance for you.  Call them at 713-691-7744.  Indicate you wish to “verify” your insurance to see me.  They will ask you several questions, then contact your insurance company for details.  Generally, they are able to send me a report outlining your benefits within 24-hours.
3. You can email me your information and I will have your benefits verified. I will need the following information:

✓ The name of your insurance company.
✓ Your name as it appears on your card.
✓ Your identification number (sometimes this is  called your “Member Number”) on your insurance card.
✓ Your group number (usually just below your ID number).
✓ The customer service number or Mental Health/Behavioral Health pre-certification number located on the bottom or back of your card.
✓ Your date of birth.
✓ The name of your employer.

If you are on someone else’s insurance plan, I also need to know:

✓ Their full name and their date of birth.

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