Answers to the most asked questions about my therapy practice
Policies and Practice
Since I value transparency, it is important you are as
informed as possible about my practice and policies and that we understand each other’s expectations to ensure the best possible outcome before becoming my client.
The following are highlights of my policies, designed to inform your decision to continue this process,
should you choose to follow through with me. You may also contact us for more information, For information about the therapy process and the therapist, please click on the following.
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Insurance Accepted and Benefits
I take several major insurance plans including United Healthcare, Optum, Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Anthem, Meritain Health, UMR, other insurance affiliates, and various EAP providers.
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It is your responsibility to understand your benefits, co-pay and deductible, so please contact your carrier as we cannot guarantee your coverage. We will collect your copay using the specialist rate unless you have spoken directly to your insurance company and it is a different amount. We also collect your co-insurance or the full allowed amount if you have a deductible to pay at the time of service.
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If we are not an In-Network provider, check to see if you have Out-of-Network benefits. If so, you will pay the self-pay rate upfront after each session to us, and if there are benefits to be paid, insurance companies will send you the reimbursement directly. ​​​​
Rates, Payment & Duration
Most insurance companies allow 55-60 minutes per session. Most EAP sessions allow 45 minutes with an allotted number of free sessions if you have this benefit from your employer. EAP is not appropriate for all issues, however check in advance to see if your insurance carrier will resume coverage at the end of your EAP sessions if you continue to need care. You are responsible for EAP authorizations and your allotted amount through your employer so know your benefits.
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​Self-pay rates are $150 per 60 minute session. I offer limited discounted rates based on hardship only. Please see below for anyone who does not have insurance or is self-pay for the Good Faith Estimate. ​​​​​
You will need to submit a credit or debit card to our office to be stored on our secure server (through Bank of America and our medical management system) as I am unable to collect electronic payment, whether in person or telehealth. If using a credit card, there will be an additional 4% added to your fee but there is no additional fee if you use your debit card. For those without bank cards, arrangements can be made for paying by app if you have made these arrangements in advance.
No one is allowed to have more than one session or other fees unpaid before they have attended another session at any given time. If this happens, all appointments are cancelled until payment is made, as it is considered unethical to allow clients to incur debt from which they will struggle to pay. If we are waiting on your insurance, you pay the allowed amount and when we receive the EOB, we will adjust your payment as appropriate.
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Appointments/Cancellation Policy
Since your appointments involve the reservation of time specifically for you and late cancellations or no-show appointments have an impact on someone, either you, me, or another client who could have potentially utilized your time slot, I have a late-cancellation and no-show policy. Since people have differing views on what constitutes a valid reason for missing a session, or how much notice they think is acceptable, or even that they should have to pay for a missed session at all; I choose to charge for the missed session and not due to the reason for missing the appointment. However, when things do come up, I have made a few provisions that work for most clients.
​Late- Cancellations and No-Show Policy:​​
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I only require a minimum of the prior business day for rescheduling or cancelling an appointment. For example, if an appointment is scheduled for 1:00 pm or 6:30 pm on a Tuesday, notice must be given by approximately 4:00 pm on Monday the prior business day (Monday -Thursday). Note that if your appointment is on a Monday, notice needs to be provided no later than the prior Thursday by 4:00, since the office is closed on the weekend.
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Every client is allowed a free pass in which they are not charged a fee for a missed session regardless of the reason. This includes emergency and non-emergency situations as most any reason can be considered valid but not a real life and death emergency. So, one free pass should you miss an appointment for any reason.
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I offer one late cancellation or pass twice per year, meaning that after 6 months of therapy you will receive another free pass, but only if you are considered a weekly, regularly scheduled client. This does not apply to no-shows as you are only allowed one no-show at any point in our time together (either by fee or with free pass). You do not get a late cancellation and a no-show pass. For those who have been with me for more than a year, another free pass will be given regardless of attendance.
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​After this first missed appointment, you will be charged a nominal fee of $50 per session, regardless of the reason, for a late-cancellation. Emergencies are considered life and death in nature only.
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If you simply make no contact at all, it is considered a no-show. You will be charged $100 for a no-show unless it was part of your free pass. To prevent being charged for a no-show, you can contact us anytime up to your session time and it will be considered a late-cancellation with only a $50 fee. Some clients reserve the free pass for a no-show as to avoid a $100 fee.
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Multiple no-shows and/or repeated cancellations (even if cancelled in advance or with paid fees) will result in a conversation regarding barriers to attending appointments, current experience in therapy, or possible termination of care. Additionally, you cannot make multiple appointments to "keep your spot" and then cancel the ones you don't want as they arise. Cancelling appointments in advance, when necessary, is expected.
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The credit card information or other payment information you previously provided will be used to process this payment. By providing us with your credit card information or booking an appointment, you consent to this policy. You will be notified when this occurs. If you have any unpaid fees we will send you a notice and if we have not heard from you, you will assume you will not be returning and you will be terminated.
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​Additional tips to help when "life happens"
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For those in person, in the event of prohibitive weather, childcare, or any other issues, etc., we can conduct the session via HIPAA compliant zoom or other teleconferencing. If either of us are having Internet difficulty, then using a phone for our session is a viable, although not an ideal option. that will allow us to complete the session without using your free pass or be charged a fee.
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For those using telehealth, if the Internet is down for either of us, please use your phone. There are very few instances (exceptions being city or state-wide emergencies impacting both of us that make it literally impossible for any contact) in which you cannot at least use your phone, if you want to avoid a fee.
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If you have to cancel late, you can make an appointment for the following day, IF there is an opening and I can see you the next day, then you will not be charged the late fee. This does not apply to no-shows.
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We send automated text/email reminders to help clients remember. If you did not receive one and you were expecting one, please call to confirm, as the system we use can be offline. Conversely, you are responsible for your appointments even if you do not get a reminder but you had one. Contact us if in doubt.
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I understand, that If you have a lot of issues in which you cannot make it to the office, or choose not to use a phone or Zoom to attend your session, ​this policy may be problematic for you. Please call and discuss what other options may be available, if any, otherwise, there are NO EXCEPTIONS, as several accommodations have already been made and the fee for a late-cancellation is nominal.
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Tardiness to your appointment:
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I believe in "better late than never" so if you are late, regardless of how late and what session method you choose, there is no fee. as long as it is enough time to bill. We will simply use the remainder of our time together, even if by phone. However, you must notify me of your intent to make it to your session late, as I only wait 10 minutes and then if I don't hear form you I assume you are not coming and it is a no-show.
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***If you believe these policies are unreasonable or too restrictive, I understand. However, in order to be a client
you must sign a written consent agreeing to this policy so carefully consider your options. ***
Practice and Business Hours
I have an office for in-person sessions located in Show Low, also serving PInetop/Lakeside, in the White Mountains and practice telehealth anywhere in Arizona. I see adults and couples weekdays with evening appointments available.
Practice hours are from 1:00 to 7:30 Monday and Tuesday, and afternoons on Wednesdays.
I have an admin office at another location with different hours so please feel free to contact them directly by email, at info@aspirecounseling.solutions You will not be able to contact me directly except by email for session attendance if running late or not able to attend as I receive these immediately and can respond.
​You may call/text Sandy at 520.981.4547. She will answer or respond no later than 48 business hours, although she normally responds within 24 hours Monday through Thursday. If she does not answer, she won't know you called unless you leave a message. All texts are secure and HIPPA complaint.​​
Business hours are:​
Monday through Wednesday 10:00 to 5:00
Thursday 10:00 to 4:00 All calls or texts after Thursday are returned the following Monday.
Friday through Sunday the admin office is closed.​​
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I do not provide emergency or crisis interventions. In the event of an emergency, please go to the
nearest emergency room or call 911 for life-threatening situations. ​
OR
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Arizona Statewide Crisis Line at 1-844-534-4673 (or 1-844-534-HOPE), or text 4HOPE (44673).
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Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support when in crisis.
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National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, dial or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org/talk-to-someone-now.
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Northern Arizona Crisis Line at 1-877-756-4090
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Northern Arizona Crisis Line for Apache, Coconino, Gila, Mohave, Navajo, and Yavapai counties:
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Phone: 1-877-756-4090
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Getting Started with Patient Portal
You will need to register for a patient portal, should you decide to seek services. We use a third party, HIPAA compliant medical management company which accepts all your pertinent mental health information, scheduling and reminders, billing, credit card processing, insurance claims, intake and payment forms, and other important information required.
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When you email or call for an appointment, Sandy will send you the information you will need to get started and answer any questions you may have. If you need help you will have someone to contact during business hours to assist get ting you set up but you will need to do so the business day prior to your appointment. We must have the patient portal and all of your information the day before by 4:00pm or your appointment will be cancelled. For those who do not want to go through the patient portal, please call Sandy to discuss possible options.
No Surprise Act-Good Faith Estimate
This only applies to those who are not using insurance and will be self-pay. Additonally, it only
applies for services you were not expecting and not for services provided.
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 for medical items and services.
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You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
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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. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
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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.
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For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.
Given the complexity of mental health therapy, we cannot predict exactly how many sessions you will need as this will vary depending on your goals, concerns, risks, support needed, and other factors. Frequency may change, whether permanently or temporarily, as initiated by therapist or client.
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Therefore, what we can give you based on a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) is the following:
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The GFE is meant to ensure transparency of costs for patients and prevent surprise billing or unexpected charges only.
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We cannot estimate how many sessions it will take, especially since this estimate is required before we even see you.
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Even after we see you, there is no way of telling you how many sessions you will need but we can help you decide whether or not you should continue based on our first meeting, what you are needing, and your financial resources.
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The estimate is based on additional charges that would be a surprise to you. Since you must pay per session, there should not be any surprises for additional fees and services, since these services are clearly identified and paid for accordingly.
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What I can promise, is that the amount you have on your payment agreement is the amount you will be charged per therapy session and this will not change during the duration of your treatment.
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If you are discharged and resume treatment at a later date, you will start over at the current rate.
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Since we do not allow debt to incur over one session, any bill you may receive due to issues with your insurance or card, etc., is one that you already owe based on your session already attended.
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There should never be a time that we would send you a bill for above $400 indicating additional services as we only provide psychotherapy (unless seeking holistic health service or genomic consulting, which is not a part of a licensed service and therefore, does not require a GFE).
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This does not include late-cancellation or no-show fees as they are unexpected and cannot be estimated.
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If you need an actual estimate, other than what has been provided, I will recommend that you go to a therapist who may be able to accommodate you or other community agencies who may be able to.
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If you are having difficulty understanding this government ruling, please call 1.520.981.4547.