You deserve the best psychiatrist or the best therapist for you and your needs. I believe a good fit is extremely important when it comes to choosing the right mental health wellness advisor for YOU. 

To help with that choice I provide an online pre-screen form and a complimentary 15 minute phone pre-screen consultation prior to booking an appointment, for the both of us to see if this is a good fit for your individual needs. 

If it seems like a good fit, after the phone call we can decide to set up a full consultation appointment at which time we can again see if this is truly a good fit. You can get a sense of fit during the full consultation appointment/s and decide at the end whether you want to continue or not.

Besides the consultation phone call, the consultation visits are also used to determine whether this is a good fit or not from both of our perspectives. Although I would love to work with you, given that your wellbeing is of the utmost importance to me I will recommend the best treatment fit for you (whether it is with me or even with a different psychiatrist or therapist). 

Services are personalized to your individual needs.

Phone calls, texts and emails go directly to me, thus improving response time. This also makes it more convenient for you to be able to change appointments and discuss other administrative matters.

I keep the total amount of clients that I see limited in order to make sure that each one of my clients receives the support and attention they require. 

Choosing not to use insurance in-network allows for a concierge experience not dictated or restricted by insurance companies. 

Yes!

*** Please note that at this time during this COVID pandemic, I am temporarily doing telehealth visits only ***  

Because of this I am not prescribing any controlled medications, although I can still prescribe other medications if needed and appropriate.

(although I would really hope that given the pandemic they would reimburse everyone, given that during regular times not all insurances reimburse for telehealth I would recommend checking with your specific insurance if you are planning on submitting for out of network reimbursements). Also, please check what modifier codes (-95 or -GT) and what place of service indications (11 or 02) the insurance requires. 

Also, during non-COVID times I still offer it as an option.

It is billed at the same rate as regular sessions. 

The initial consultation session ranges between 45 to 60 minutes depending on the complexities of the issues and your availability. Though in some cases additional consultation sessions may be necessary. 

The initial full consultation session will include exploration of your concerns, your history, your questions and any goals that you may have. You don’t have to have any specific goals in order to start since that can be part of our exploration together. During this we can also both get a sense of fit. At the end of the consultation you can decide whether you would like to continue or not.

Follow-up sessions are usually 45-60 minutes, depending on your availability and preference. 

I tend to provide therapy that is an individually tailored mix of psychodynamic and CBT together since I want to address current obstacles while also trying to change unhelpful long term patterns. I can also focus on one or the other. I want to make sure that what I am doing is helpful, thus I tailor it both to the goals or obstacles presented and to personal preferences of my clients. Ultimately, your wellbeing is the top priority.

Before the first consultation appointment can be confirmed you will be required to fill out the consultation paperwork, sign the practice policies, and return all of these to me at least 72 hours before the appointment. 

Like with most private practice’s, I am an out-of-network provider. I do not accept insurance or work with insurance companies directly, but I can provide you with an itemized receipt/superbill that may allow you to get reimbursement from your insurance company if you submit it to the insurance (completely optional for you). Please note that insurance requires a diagnosis for the superbill.

Payment is due in full at the time of visit. I can’t guarantee any reimbursement by your insurance company. You are still responsible for paying the appointment fee, whether you get reimbursed or not. 

For your convenience you can consider using an app such as Better Claims or Reimbursify or submitting directly through the insurance company. I have no relationship with these apps and thus do not guarantee their quality. 

Self-pay may seem to have more upfront cost. However, please note that there may not be much difference between self-pay vs insurance-pay due to the need to meet the deductible in some insurance plans. Many clients with out of network benefits may receive between 60% – 80% insurance reimbursement of the cost of their sessions, after the deductible is met.  Prior to your appointment, you can inquire with your insurance company to find out about your out-of-network coverage, co-pay obligations, deductibles, allowable rates, or any pre-authorizations that may be needed. You can find out your out-of-network benefits by calling the number on the back of your insurance card.

You can also consider using the Nirvana Out-of-Network Reimbursement Calculator or Advekit’s free benefit lookup tool for your convenience. I cannot guarantee their accuracy and it may be prudent for you to double check directly with your insurance company.

There are benefits of seeing an out-of-network provider, including customization of treatment without the influence of insurance companies. You can read about more benefits in the article on 6 reasons to see an out-of-network therapist.

Please note that insurances usually do not reimburse for fees outside of appointment times; including no show fees, late or cancellation fees, paperwork fees, refill fees and possibly other fees.

Check your coverage carefully and ask your insurance:

• What are my mental health benefits?

Do I have out-of-network benefits for mental health services? If not, how can I obtain out- of-network benefits?

• What is the coverage amount per therapy session? Per medication management session?

What is the percentage that is reimbursed for the zip code of the office? 

• How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?

Does my plan have a maximum out-of-network annual limit?

• How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?

• Is approval or prior-authorization required from my primary care physician?

What’s the best way to send the invoice/superbill? If by mail, what’s the best address to send the invoice? If by internet, whats the website/URL? 

You can use this Reimbursement Worksheet for convenience. 

Payments can be made by cash, check, HSA/FSA card, or credit card on a session basis. A credit card authorization on file is required.

The full fee is due at the time of service. 

Contact me to inquire and discuss fees and I would be more than happy to discuss. Email dr@suzannachenmd.com

Initial 45-60 minute consultation evaluation 

Subsequent 45-60 minute appointments

If your insurance has out-of-network benefits your out of pocket costs could be much lower. 

As mentioned above, many clients with out of network benefits may receive reimbursement from insurance between 60% – 80% of the cost of their sessions (Ask your insurance for the percent reimbursed). 

Optional extra services between appointments that are longer than 15 minutes are also billed at the prorated regular rate. This includes paperwork requests. 

Payment is due in full before, or at the time of service. 

I value and respect your time and hope for the same in return. I keep a 48 hour cancellation policy and reserve the right to charge a full session’s fee for missed appointments or late cancellations without adequate notice.

Out of respect for clients that may come for sessions after yours, if you are late we can still have the session but it will have to be shortened and we still have to end on time. Since that time is reserved for you, I reserve the right to charge a full session’s fee for shortened sessions due to late arrivals. 

I am an MD who was trained in both psychotherapy and medication management. During residency I was trained in individual therapy, family therapy, group therapy, and couples therapy. Thus I can do therapy treatment only, or I can do combined therapy and medication treatment. I can also do family therapy sessions in addition to individual therapy if that will be beneficial for your individual case. I can administer all of these services as one clinician. Some clients may find that this makes it more convenient and reduces the need for referrals and multiple appointments with different providers. It can also be beneficial to have a doctor who knows you as a whole person and can tailor your treatment to YOU.

In certain circumstances I may collaborate with existing psychotherapists if I have your permission and I know that therapist, thus ensuring the highest quality of collaborative care for you. We can discuss this during your free consultation phone call.

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 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.
• 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.