Policies

On the day of your initial appointment, we request that you arrive 30 minutes early. This will give you time to provide additional information without having to affect the time set aside for your appointment. We will not extend the time of your scheduled visit as this will affect others in the schedule.

Our office will notify you several days in advance, via text messaging, email or a telephone reminder, depending on your communication preferences. We do this to avoid a missed appointment and the fee associated with it.

The office expects 24-hours notice in the event that you are unable to make the appointment. The charge for a missed appointment is $100. The office policy enforces payment of a missed appointment before your next appointment, or at the time of rescheduling. We are cognizant and take very seriously the importance of uninterrupted care. A lapse in your treatment can result in a setback. Where clinically warranted we will electronically prescribe enough medications to get you to your next appointment.

Patients with no insurance coverage, our office requires full payment at the time of the office visit. The office cannot accommodate a payment plan of any kind. There are programs locally that will provide subsidized treatment.

If you are enrolled in a commercial insurance plan, as a courtesy our office will submit a claim on your behalf. In order to be successful in the claims submission process we must have accurate and up-to-date information. Should your insurance change, please notify the office immediately. Our office makes every effort at collecting from your insurance company in a timely manner. Any services not covered or denied by your insurance company, our office will have no recourse but to hold you personally responsible. Our office sends out statements on a regular basis, via email and or text. When there is a balance on the account older than 60-days and after you have been notified as mentioned above, the account then becomes delinquent, and the balance is submitted to a collection agency for payment. 

Our office will submit a claim to Medicare, and a secondary insurance company where applicable. It is your responsibility to provide the office with the necessary information in order to submit a successful claim. If you do not have a secondary insurance, please be advised that you are responsible for the Medicare difference at the time of your visit. Be mindful that you are responsible for the annual Medicare deductible.

All co-payments and deductibles are due at the time of the visit. There will be an additional $30 processing charge if the balance is not satisfied at the time of your visit.

Our office accepts Visa, MasterCard, Debit, Discover, Money Orders, Cash, and Personal Checks.

Non-Sufficient Funds: There is a charge for dishonored checks ranging from $25 to $50, depending on the amount of the check. This amount will be added to the existing balance, and it will accrue interest as per Florida Statute on maximum allowed interest collection of a debt.

For ease of use, our office is able to keep your credit card number on file, and with your approval to charge any outstanding balances.

Should there be a dispute over a charge, this language will serve as notice that you were previously informed and agreed to the terms set forth in authorizing this office to charge your credit card.

We make every effort in keeping your account up-to-date by sending out several statements on balances due. Accounts that hold balances despite our reminder statements are considered delinquent past 60-days and will be turned over to a collection agency. When this happens, the office has no further control over the matter, and you will have to address it with the collection company. Our contract is with you, the patient, and it is expected that you satisfy any outstanding balances in a timely manner.

It is our policy and Federal Regulation (HIPAA) not to release medical information of any kind without your expressed written consent. Please be advised that when you authorize a third-party to receive medical information, we have no control beyond the release of those records. Our office will provide you with a hard-copy of HIPAA at your request, and this information can also be downloaded from our website. When releasing medical records, this will be done via facsimile or secure email. Please let our privacy office (office manager) know if you have any objections or concerns relative to way of transmission. You are always entitled to a copy of your medical record upon request.

In an effort to protect your privacy and maintain active mental health care needs, we do not communicate with patients via our office email, twitter, chat, or FaceBook. Our office email is never intended to be used as part of your medical treatment as it is not monitored. Should you need to communicate with your provider, have a clinical question, or need refills of your medications, please contact the office general number to leave a message with your provider.

If you feel that you need emergency assistance, please call 9-1-1, or go to the nearest hospital. Our office is not prepared to deal with medical or acute psychiatric emergencies. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8 AM-4 PM.

You are usually given enough medications until your next appointment. Should you be running out of medications, please contact the office with a few day’s notice. Any patient on benzodiazepine medication (Clonazepam, Lorazepam, Alprazolam, Diazepam, and others), or patients on stimulant medication (Ritalin, Adderall, Vyvanse, Dexedrine, and others) you must be seen in the office within 90-days to have their prescription refilled. There will be no exceptions to this policy. All providers are subject to Florida House Bill 21 which addresses dispensing of controlled medications.

Please do not have your pharmacist attempt to fax the office. We no longer provide this service as it is too confusing and unmanageable. It is your responsibility to contact the office when in need of a refill.

The office does not refill prescription on Fridays, weekends or holidays.

The office will charge for time involved in the process of completing forms, letters, authorizations, FMLA, as these services are not covered by insurances, and it is time-consuming to the provider.

In the event of a hurricane the office could be without power for days at a time. Therefore, the office will not be operational until power is restored. We advise that you maintain an adequate supply of your medications during hurricane season, June 1-November 30^th. Your pharmacist will usually provide you with several days of most medications, not scheduled drugs, until you are able to see your doctor. Upon resuming operations, the office will see those patients that were scheduled at the time of the storm to avoid a lapse in treatment.