Office:
617-794-6223
233 Harvard Street
Brookline, MA 02446
gklein@gkleinlmhc.com
Policies
Confidentiality
All professional contacts with me are safeguarded by confidentiality regulations. However, there are exceptions to confidentiality which include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Instances involving the abuse to a child, elderly or disabled person.
- Situations in which a client is judged to be threatening serious harm to him or herself or another person.
- Judicial proceedings involving a court order to testify.
- When collection agencies or other processes are required to collect unpaid fees.
In these circumstances, I am required to inform appropriate authorities to insure the safety of the client or others, or to comply with a court order.
Fee Schedule and Insurance
Payments are due at the time of appointment unless otherwise agreed upon. Standard Psychotherapy (50 minutes) $115.00 (sliding scale available with demonstrable need)
If you have health insurance, then you may wish to use it to subsidize your therapy. You may also choose not to use your health insurance benefits. Here are some things for you to consider as you contemplate using your health insurance to cover the cost of your therapy:
The advantages to using insurance:
- Your insurance will likely pay for the majority of your therapy.
- You pay for your premiums and you want to use your benefits whenever possible.
- You believe you could not afford psychotherapy unless you used your insurance to pay for it.
The risks to using insurance:
- Your insurance will pay for therapy only if I give you a psychiatric diagnosis that becomes a part of your medical record.
- Your level of privacy can be compromised. If you later try to apply for life/disability/private health insurance, your company will request access to any prior health information and could dramatically increase the costs to you, or deny you the insurance you seek, because of a past diagnosis.
- It is possible that I will need to speak with your insurance company periodically and explain to them why continuing with your therapy is medically necessary. This means that someone at the insurance company could decide whether your therapy should be paid for.
The answer to using your health insurance to subsidize therapy shouldn’t be black or white. Rather, you should consider all the advantages and risks and make the decision that makes the most sense for you.
If you decide to use your insurance and it is a policy that I accept I will make every effort to bill them for the services I provide. But please be advised that if your insurance refuses to reimburse for any reason, you are ultimately responsible for any fee balance due.
Cancellations and Missed Appointments
Hours set aside for you are not easily filled when they are canceled without notice. You will be expected to pay for appointments that are not canceled with at least 24 hours notice. Missed sessions cannot be billed to insurance companies.
Emergency Coverage
Although my practice is covered by a 24 hour answering system, I am not always immediately available in case of emergency.
All emergencies should be handled by the nearest hospital emergency room if I am not available.
Records
You are allowed to read and review your records of my evaluation and treatment at my discretion and in my presence.