Frequently Asked Questions

Generally the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and a psychiatric provider/ therapist. Information is not disclosed without written permission. However, there are a number of exceptions to this rule which are:

• Suspected child abuse or dependent (vulnerable) adult or elder abuse. (The provider is required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately)
• If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person or persons. (The provider must notify the police and inform the intended victim)
• If a client intends to harm himself or herself or lacks the capacity to care for him or herself. (The provider must make every effort to enlist the client’s cooperation in ensuring their safety. If the client does not cooperate, further measures must be taken without the client’s permission in order to keep the client safe, i.e. calling 911.)
• Prenatal Exposure to Controlled Substances. (Mental Health care professionals are required to report admitted prenatal exposure to controlled substances that are potentially harmful.)
• Judicial and Administrative Proceedings- where the licensee is a defendant in a civil, criminal, or disciplinary action arising from the therapy, in which case client confidences may be disclosed in the course of that action.
• When there is a valid court order for the disclosure of client files. (This is very rare and will be reviewed by our attorney before handing anything over to the courts.)
• If you provided us with an emergency contact, we will call them in case of an emergency even if there is no release of information on file as agreed upon when you complete client information form.

Fees

Our fee for conducting psychotherapy for self pay clients is $150.00 a session. Our fee for psychiatric assessment sessions is $250 and for psychiatric follow up services (15 min sessions) is $ 165.00. Other less common services may have a different scheduled fee. We accept most insurances. Fees change depending on your specific insurance benefit when using insurance.

Right to Receive a Good Faith Estimate of Expected Charges

Under the No Surprises Act

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost

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.

• 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.
• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least one business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your healthcare provider, and any other provider you choose for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
• 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.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.

Your Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills

When you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing. 

What is “balance billing” (sometimes called “surprise billing”)?

When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, such as a copayment, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a healthcare facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network. 

“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.”This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit.

 “Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care—like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider. 

You are protected from balance billing for:

Emergency services

If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services. 

Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center

When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed.

If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance bill you, unless you give written consent and give up your protections.

You’re never required to give up your protection from balance billing. You also aren’trequired to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network. 

When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have the following protections:

• You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments,
coinsurance, and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network).
Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly.
• Your health plan generally must:
  • Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (prior authorization).
  • Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers.
  • Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in-network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits.
  • Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your deductible and out-of-pocket limit.

We accept the following insurance as an in-network provider: Aetna, APS, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Kaiser, Humana (LifeSynch), Magellan, and United Healthcare. If you do not see your insurance carrier listed above, you may still be able to file a claim for reimbursement if you have out of network benefits. We will be happy to provide you with the necessary documentation upon request.

Payment of fees is due at the time of your appointment. Acceptable forms of payment include cash, check, PayPal or credit card (Master Card, Visa, American Express, and Discover).

All Therapy sessions are 45-55 minutes in length, unless otherwise arranged. All Psychiatric Services sessions are 15 minutes in length with the exception of the initial evaluation which is approximately 30 minutes in length. Out of respect for you and other clients, we will begin and end on time. You are welcome to come for your appointment if you are late, but the session will end on the original scheduled time.

A 48-business hour cancellation policy applies to all appointments. Please, kindly inform us as soon as you know that you will not be able to attend your appointment. If you have an emergency, you may contact us and we can reschedule your appointment. There is a $85 fee for Psychiatric Service Provider(s) and $75 for Therapist(s) for sessions that are canceled within the 48-business hour cancellation period. It is important to note that Insurance companies will not pay for late cancellation fees or missed appointments and the client is responsible for the entire fee. Two missed appointments or late cancellations (in a row) often indicate a lack of commitment with the therapy and may result in the termination. We do not accept e-mails or texts for cancellations of appointments.

Please do not appear for a session under the influence of alcohol or any mind-altering drug or having a contagious illness which would cause harm to the provider(s) and other Clients/Patients. If this occurs the session will be canceled and you will be charged for the missed session, and ultimately termination of the counseling relationship may occur.

In the event that we may need to cancel an appointment, we will try to contact you as quickly as possible. Inclement weather or emergencies may require rescheduling. We will make every attempt possible to contact you at home, work, or on your cell phone to arrange another appointment. It is the nature of psychiatric practice that occasionally a medical crisis arises which requires our attention and may cause your provider to run late for your appointment. Every effort will be made to inform you that the provider is running late and you will still be seen for your full appointment time. Unfortunately, we are unable to reduce the charges for these appointments. On the rare instance that the provider runs more than 20 minutes late, you will not be charged if you decide to reschedule the appointment.

Please understand that we make every effort to be respectful of your time and that of others; however our availability after hours or between sessions is limited but we make every effort to return phone calls on the same day unless the call comes in very late. All calls are kept confidential. Once you have started therapy your provider will return your call and/or answer your concerns. Phone consultations may not be covered by your insurance. We are happy to speak to you but consultations lasting greater than 10 minutes will be charged according to our current fee schedule. Your provider will inform you of scheduled vacations at least 1 week in advance. During this time you may contact the our office to leave a message for your provider.

If you consider your situation an emergency that will not allow a delay, immediately reach emergency services by calling 911 or a mental health crisis stabilization hospitals that can provide 24/7 emergency support. You may also go to the your nearest emergency room. Do NOT text, email 1 Alliance Counseling & Psychotherapy Services while you are experiencing an emergency.

 

 

• • Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 (call + text)

 

• • Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL): 1-800-715-4225 (available 24/7)

 

• • North Carolina Crisis Line HOPE4NC: 1-855-587-3463

 

• • Georgia mental health crisis stabilization hospitals: 
    • • Peachford 770-454-2302,

     

    • • Grady Hospital 404- 616-5500,

     

    • • Anchor Hospital 770-991-6044

     

     

 

• • North Carolina mental health crisis stabilization hospitals: 
    • • Alamance Regional (Burlington) and Cone Hospital (Greensboro): 336-832-7000.

     

    • • Old Vineyard psychiatric hospital, Winston-Salem 336-416-9621

     

    • • Holly Hill psychiatric hospital, Raleigh 919-231-5302

     

     

 

If you do not consider your situation an Emergency and it can be delayed you can always call and say you are having difficulties and state your name and telephone number on our telephone identification line; however, our preference when in doubt is for you to call 911, or one of the above mental health crisis stabilization hospitals that can provide 24/7 emergency support.

If you would like to speak directly with Dr. Haley Outside of Business Hours call 678-310-6631 and press 31. Keep in mind there is a fee for this service as this would be considered a telephonic consultation charge.

Insurance companies may require physicians to obtain “prior authorization” from the insurance company for non-preferred medications. This is because of contracts between insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies, some insurers prefer certain medications to others as a cost saving measure. Please know that “Prior-Authorizations” can be time consuming so there will be a charge of $35 to complete prior authorization. You have the option to change to your insurance company’s preferred medication if this is medically appropriate and available.

The quickest and easiest way to request a medication refill is to send a confidential message to our Refill Request inbox on our website under the Contact Us tab. Please make sure to include your name, birth date, telephone number, name of medication and the pharmacy location of your choice. You may also call the office and provide a verbal request. Some prescriptions require a written prescription so please schedule an appointment in these cases. Extra refills between appointments are not a guaranteed service and are always at then discretion of the provider. Please allow 24-48 business hours for a response. Medication refills require a $25 payment that is not covered by insurance and must be paid in advance. To ensure continuity of care and appropriate treatment, patients with whom a 1 Alliance CPS Psychiatry provider(s) has an established therapeutic relationship should have a follow-up appointment at least every three (3) months.

We do not participate in divorce mediation, divorce cases, child custody assessments, forensic evaluations; and we do not provide expert witness testimony as a part of our practice in context with our clients. We prefer to have no direct involvement in legal proceedings because our goal is to keep the integrity of the session sacred. If a provider is summoned to court on your behalf, you are responsible to pay the agreed upon hourly rate for any associated time and efforts. This includes, but is not limited to, time spent in transcribing records, time in court, travel, meals, and any wait time preceding the actual court appearance. We also do not provide evaluation or attestation for disability, bariatric surgery or gender re-assignment surgery/ hormone replacement treatment. Please note that in couple’s counseling, your provider does not agree to keep secrets. Information revealed in any context may be discussed with either partner.

Paperwork completion requires time and work outside the scope of an appointment. Our practice charges $250/hour for Psychiatric Provider(s) and $150/hour for Therapist(s) on a prorated basis for other professional services you may require such as letter writing, telephone conversations which last longer than 10 minutes, attendance to meetings or consultations with other professionals which you have authorized, preparation of records or treatment summaries, completion of forms or the time required to perform any other service not specifically mentioned hereto. It should be noted that Insurance(s) do NOT cover these services.

Non-Compliance actions are as follows:

1. Failure to take prescribed regimen of medication provided by Psychiatric Provider(s).
2. Taking prescription medication not prescribed to you.
3. Failure to report Opioid prescriptions obtained in Emergency settings or other providers
4. Using Controlled Dangerous Substances
5. No Shows of 2 or more sessions.
6. Compliance is required and arguing about your lab results if applicable will be an automatic dismissal.
7. Lost or stolen medication (with a police report) will only be replaced once. Your medication is your responsibility.
8. Any rude or inappropriate behavior to Psychiatrist or staff of 1 Alliance CPS is an automatic dismissal.

The therapeutic relationship is terminated when it becomes reasonably apparent that you no longer need assistance, are not likely to benefit, or are being harmed by continuing the relationship (e.g. There is a need that is outside the scope of the practice or the need for a higher level of care is evident). We may discontinue the relationship If you decline the suggested referrals. The relationship can also be terminated to preserve the safety of both parties or when agreed upon fees are not paid. We do provide pre-termination counseling and recommend other service providers when necessary.

Check out these resources in Georgia.

Check out these resources in North Carolina.

Many of our therapists are on various EAP panels. EAP sessions are 45 minutes in length. Prior to setting up your appointment, please make sure to have the following information so that the billing information is accurate and you are not charged for any EAP sessions. Authorization has to be obtained prior to having the first appointment. The following information will be needed at time of scheduling your first session: EAP name, EAP phone number, Client name and/or Client ID they assign, Authorization Number, Dates of Authorized sessions, & Total number of authorized sessions. Please make sure the therapist you are scheduling with is listed as the provider with 1Alliance CPS on the EAP authorization. If that therapist is unavailable, then please let our reception team know, so that your EAP authorization can be adjusted for another therapist on the panel.  Once this information is received, we can verify and start to apply your authorization to sessions moving forward based on the authorized period. If not received in time, we will have to use your insurance or another payor source until the EAP info could be verified.  If any of the sessions completed are not authorized by your EAP, you may incur out-of-pocket costs for the sessions completed.

Some EAP companies may require clients to complete and/or sign a statement of understanding outlining the consent for the therapy referral, limits of confidentiality, and notification of their procedures. This and other client EAP forms are required by your EAP company to accommany the billing process from our office to ensure your sessions are covered. Please be sure to complete these forms by the time the first appointment is completed and respond promptly to any follow up from our office to ensure your sessions are covered without disruption or delay.

Our office does NOT conduct free or any consultations because they can usually lead into issues that are most suited for therapy sessions, and we want to ensure full confidentiality and the appropriate amount of time to address any clinical concerns. The first meeting (intake appointment) is a chance to address your goals for therapy and explore the therapist's recommended treatment planning and will give more time for asking questions about the process. Please take a look at our provider bios and the remaining FAQ's as they often answer many questions most clients have.