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Consultation calls are a great way to begin to explore if a therapist would be a good fit for you. Every therapist has an individual style, vibe, approach, personality and having a conversation before scheduling an intake can help clients and therapists to establish if they are a good match to support the client in working towards their goals.

The loose structure I like to use for consultation calls is:

• First I like to ask prospective clients if they would like to share a bit about what they are wanting to work on/explore in therapy and what they are looking for in a therapist at this time.

• Next I share a bit about myself and my approach and then answer any questions clients might have.

• Clients then get to decide if they would like to schedule an intake appointment, take some time to think about it, or ask for additional referrals/resources if we don’t seem like an ideal fit for whatever reason.

• The consultations calls I offer are 20-minutes long, confidential and complimentary.

Upon request I can provide clients with a receipt (called a superbill) that you can submit to your insurance company for partial or full reimbursement. Reimbursement is not guaranteed and details must be worked out between you and your insurance provider.

If you are interested in learning about your out-of-network (OON) benefits, I suggest that your call your insurance and ask the following questions:

• Does my plan cover OON providers for mental/behavioral health services?

• Will I be reimbursed for seeing a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)?

• What is the reimbursement rate for OON providers within my plan? Specifically, what is the OON reimbursement rate for the CPT code 90837-95? (The code for a standard Telehealth therapy session)

• How many therapy sessions does my plan cover for OON behavioral health providers? (Is it unlimited or is there a max?)

• How long will it take to be reimbursed for sessions after I have submitted my claims?

• What is my out of network deductible and have I met it yet this year?

• Will my OON sessions be applied to a separate OON deductible?

• Is approval required from my primary care physician?

Notes: Unfortunately Medicaid will not reimburse for out-of-network providers.

Under the No Surprises Act (H.R. 133 effective January 1, 2022) Section 2799B-6 of H.R. 133 health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals receiving services who are not enrolled in an a insurance plan or receive coverage (uninsured individuals), or not part of a Federal Health Care program, or those not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage (self-pay individuals) to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.

It is your right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” to help you estimate expected charges they may be billed over at least the next 12 months from the start of scheduling services, for health care items and services you receive. This Good Faith Estimate shows the costs of items and services that are reasonably expected for your health care needs for an item or service. The estimate is based on information known at the time the estimate was created.

The information provided in a good faith estimate is only an estimate and actual items, services, or charges may differ from the good faith estimate. It is not possible for a psychotherapist or clinical social worker to know in advance exactly how many psychotherapy sessions may be necessary or appropriate for a given person and their specific clinical needs. Your total cost of services will depend on the number and type of psychotherapy sessions you attend and any fees related to services with me, clinical needs, or other circumstances related to your treatment, and including but not limited to any late cancellation/no show and legal fees. Therefore, it is important to note the Good Faith Estimate may not include any unknown, unexpected, or additional costs related to your unexpected needs and/or clinical necessity that that may arise during treatment. Any changes or increases to my business fees will be posted and you will be notified in writing and given a new Good Faith Estimate based on any changes, at the time the changes go into effect.

The Good Faith Estimate is not a contract or obligation to obtain services. The Good Faith Estimate will not require you to maintain psychotherapy services with Renee Kubota at Renee Kubota Counseling. The Good Faith Estimate is also not a recommendation of treatment or a prediction that you need to attend or are limited to attending a specified number of visits. You are entitled to disagree with any recommendations made to you concerning your treatment and you may discontinue treatment at any time.