Practice Policy

Last updated February 01, 2023

Claudia Schroeder,

Licensed Clinical Social Worker 27331
Three Oaks Wellness Collaborative

575 E. Locust Ave. Ste 101

Fresno, CA 93720

559-313-1398

PRACTICE POLICIES

CLIENT PORTAL

For convenience to you, the client, and myself, the psychotherapist, you will be emailed a link to access a HIPAA compliant online site where you can securely manage your appointments, billing information, electronic messaging, documents, and so much more. Your link will contain a password unique to you, and you are able to change it once you log in and set up your account.

FEES FOR SERVICES

You agree to pay for the services rendered at the time of your appointment. If you are not using your behavioral health benefits through your insurance company or do not have insurance, my standard fees for in-person and telebehavioral health therapy services are as follows:

Initial intake session consisting of 50-60 minutes is $175.00

110- 120 minutes for intensive session is $300.00

50-60 minute session is $160.00 (As of March 01, 2023 My fee will increase by $10. If this is a hardship for you, please feel free to discuss this with me)

40-50 minute session is $130.00

30 minute session is $100.00

15 minute documentation fee is $25

50-60 minute couples/family session is $200.00

Late cancelation/no show fee $160 as of March 01, 2023

GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE

This GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE explains how much your medical care will cost. Under the law health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill or medical items and services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises

APPOINTMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS

The fee for services will be collected at the start of your session so we can spend the rest of your session time focusing on your treatment. The standard meeting time for psychotherapy is 50-60 minutes. Please note that if you are using insurance, your insurance may designate the length of time that you will receive (the standard being 45 minutes).

Life happens for all of us, and we may need to reschedule at times. Please remember to cancel or reschedule 24 hours in advance so that your appointment time can be offered to another client in need of services. You will be responsible for the cancellation fee of $160 or that which has been agreed upon with your insurance, if cancellation is less than 24 hours. In case you arrive late your appointment you will be charged the full fee of the appointment time you were scheduled for regardless of how much time you spend in session.

I will review specific situations individually in regards to unexpected illnesses or unpredictable challenges. I will discuss any concerns regarding the frequency of canceling appointments with you and explore barriers to treatment, if this is the right time for you to be in therapy, etc, as needed. Whenever possible, please feel free to begin this conversation with me yourself so that we can avoid interruptions to your care.

On the occasion that I may need to cancel an appointment, I will attempt to reschedule you within the same week; otherwise, as soon as conveniently possible by both parties.

CREDIT CARD

When paying with a credit card, you authorize scheduled charges to your credit card for regularly scheduled appointment fees, missed appointment fees, late cancellation fees, the balance of fees denied by your insurance company, and/or not paid by your insurance company within 90 days of date of service. You authorize these charges to your card beginning the first date of service until 90 days after termination of services. If you have questions about these charges, you agree to contact me, Claudia Schroeder, LCSW. You agree that you will not pursue a refund directly through your credit/debit card company, bank, or financial institution. If any of your actions yield a chargeback for any reason, you agree to pay any and all penalty fee(s) incurred by me. Credit cards are processed by Stripe, which is a HIPAA compliant company. A credit card must remain on file for all clients; however, you may pay for your services in cash.

INSURANCE

If I am an in-network provider with your plan, I will submit claims for you, but at our session you must pay any portion not covered by your plan. If I am NOT a provider for your plan, you will pay me in full at your session and I can give you a “Superbill” so that you can seek reimbursement from your plan if eligible for Out-Of-Network services. Charges not covered by your insurance, remain your responsibility. All payments are due at the beginning of each session. You can save your credit card/health care flex card information to your Client Portal for convenience.

TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY

If you need to contact me between sessions, please leave a message on my voicemail, I am often not immediately available; however, I will attempt to return your call within 2 business days. When possible, we may be able to schedule a telebehavioral health appointment as well. Please note that face- to-face sessions are highly preferable to phone sessions. However, in the event that you are out of town, sick or need additional support, phone or video sessions may be available.
If a true emergency situation arises, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. You can also text HOME to 741741 for crisis support.

If You have Benefits through Lyra and you are experiencing a mental health crisis you can call 877-505-7147 for crisis support

MINORS

If you are a minor, your parents/guardians may be legally entitled to some information about your therapy. I will discuss with you and your parents/guardians what information is appropriate for them to receive and which issues are more appropriately kept confidential. I will encourage you to share information with your parents/guardians when appropriate.

If you are the parent/guardian of a minor, kindly remember that the content of your minor child’s therapy is protected by confidentiality laws, with the exception of high risk behaviors, including suicidality, homicidality, grave disability, or harm to their property or someone else’s. Parents/guardians, you are responsible for sharing information with any other parent/guardian involved. I will not mediate between parents/guardians at any time. It is not my role to conduct custody evaluations, determine whether a parent is “fit” or not, recommend one parent over the other, nor focus on custodial matters. If this is your goal, please let me know so that I can refer your child to another therapist who does provide this service.

COURT TESTIMONY

Unless compelled by the court, I will not testify in court on behalf of the Insured or Client. In the event that I am petitioned to testify on your behalf or your minor’s behalf, you will be charged a minimum of $2000 for two days of lost wages, report preparation, and time spent needed to review your case. This fee will be due by cashier’s check seven (7) days before the court date. I require a scheduled court date fourteen (14) days before the court date in order to prepare myself, my practice, and my clients who will need to be canceled in order for me to attend your court hearing. I will not be “on-call” for court. Sometimes a hearing can last more than two days. The fee for each additional day of time required in court is $1500 due the day before the court date by cashier’s check. All cashier’s check will be paid out to me, Claudia Schroeder, LCSW.

TERMINATION

It is my ethical duty to provide therapy only when your concerns/clinical issues are within the scope of my training, when I feel you are actively participating in treatment, and when I feel you are benefiting from the work that we are doing in therapy sessions. Ending relationships can be difficult. Therefore, it is important to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of the termination depends on the length and intensity of the treatment. I may terminate treatment after appropriate discussion with you and a termination process if I determine that psychotherapy is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment. I will not terminate the therapeutic relationship without first discussing and exploring the reasons and purpose of terminating. If therapy is terminated for any reason or you request another therapist, I will provide you with a list of qualified psychotherapists to treat you. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.

Should you fail to schedule an appointment for three consecutive weeks or fail to make your payments, unless other arrangements have been made in advance, for legal and ethical reasons, I must consider the professional relationship discontinued.

COLLABORATIVE OFFICE

Three Oaks Wellness Collaborative is a suite shared by multiple wellness providers who are in business for themselves, but sharing physical space, resources, knowledge, and share the common goal of helping their clients to grow stronger. Please speak to me directly with any questions regarding the practice of my business, confidentiality while in the Collaborative Office set up, or concerns while waiting in the shared client waiting room.

DISCLAIMER

I am not legally responsible for care relied from professionals that I refer you to. Our agreements do not involve other providers in the suite, who operate solo practices (we are not a group).