Financial Arrangements

Office Self-Pay Financial Policy

  1. $105 Payment Cash or Check to open practice account at first visit
  2. $65/hour (50 minutes therapy and 10 minutes admin) Counseling Sessions
  3. $140/2 Hour Hypnotherapy Session (105 minutes-15 minutes Admin)
  4. $65/Hour Preparation of Letters-Supporting Documents
  5. No Appointment Cancellation Charge if done within 2 Working Days before scheduled Appointment by email or telephone, weekends not included.
  6. $10 Late Cancellation or No Show First Time Charge per appointment hour.
  7. $20 Late Cancellation or No Show Charge Thereafter
  8. Maintain $40 Balance on account. Pay for services rendered at time of service. Balance will be returned to client when therapy is completed or per request of client.

Practice Philosophy

"For the love of money is the root of all evil" as written in 1 Timothy gives us pause when we consider the role of money in our society, but imagine trying to live without it. For 35 years people and their need to resolve family conflicts, to endure personal loss and grief, to rid their lives of drug/alcohol dependency or to work on esteem and self image problems have occupied my professional time. At the beginning it was you and me and insurance was for life policies and cars, not payment of professional services. Over time 3rd party payers have predominated in the counselor--patient relationship. A positive benefit of 3rd party payment is that many more people seek care than in the past. In accepting insurance we the patient and provider must abide by rules, regulations and pre-determined fees decided by others. It is disingenuous to personally complain since 3rd party payers now provide most of my income. However the paperwork, rule changes and multiple submissions for even just one claim occupies about half of my work hours.

It’s time to get back to the basics again and emphasize the client rather than worry and complain about the process. More offices are opting out of insurance and Whole Life Concepts is moving in that direction. However the big difference is many practices continue to charge you the same fee schedule of $100-$150 per hour to be paid by you at time of service. Then you must file your own insurance. Whole Life Concepts has returned to the basics of $65-$70 per hour self-pay regardless if it’s counseling, hypnotherapy, group sessions facilitator with mileage or providing letters, forms, documents or record copies required for attorneys, employers, law enforcement, Social Services etc.

My Office will continue to accept patients with insurance that include my practice in their panel of providers under the usual provisions and charges, deductions and co-pays. However my practice’s future is to move quickly toward an inclusive self-pay client practice and the most desired week days and appointment times may be reserved for self-pay clients. Any client who has begun therapy under their insurance will continue to be seen until care is completed or unless 6 months pass without contact and the client is considered inactive. Insurance patients might consider going self-pay and file their own insurance if permitted by their policy to do so by providers outside their panel. Whole Life Concepts encourages patients to compare their savings by self-pay at time of service then filing their own insurance.

Self-Pay offers complete privacy, anonymity if requested and client still has option to claim insurance themselves if enrolled as statement of services will be rendered the same day if possible. Therefore clients get substantial discount for the same service provided at higher cost from insurance and government plans. And for those that don’t have insurance a ways and means to get the same care without paying the insurance price when quoted from other practitioners.

My only product is time. Once it’s gone so is my opportunity to see you or others. I value your time, so I endeavor to be on time for you.. Likewise I value my time, so clients that have multiple failed or late cancellations (3 or more) may be dismissed from my practice. The office encourages you to ask questions about financial arrangements and my practice as it relates to you.

Nancy Gordon Darby M.Ed., MFT, MAC