Office Policies
Cancellations
If you need to cancel a session, please call 24 hours before your scheduled appointment. You can call (510) 380-6146 or text your therapist. There is no charge for the cancellation. However, please refer to the “Max. # of Cancellations” below for additional details. If you do not cancel, we will expect you to pay for the missed session in full. If you are using insurance, you will be billed directly for the session at the contracted rate your provider has negotiated. Your provider does not pay for missed sessions. Advance notice will allow us time to reschedule other clients who could benefit from the availability. These policies apply to us as well. We will call you with at least 24 hours' notice if we need to reschedule. If for any reason we miss our scheduled appointment without notifying you, your next session will be free of charge. True emergency situations that cannot be foreseen can be negotiated (sudden illnesses, accidents, or unpredicted loss of childcare).
Maximum Number of Cancellations
Your time is reserved for our work together. In addition to the above cancellation policy, we will only allow one cancellation per quarter [every 90 days]. If you cancel, due to business travel or other commitments, beyond the one cancellation per quarter, you will be responsible for the contracted session fee.
Session Time
Each session is 53 minutes. We will ensure you receive your full allotted time if we are running late. If you are running late, we understand that things happen and encourage you to come; however, we will utilize the time remaining for that session.
Health Insurance
We will bill your insurance provider for each visit, and you will cover the estimated co-payment, coinsurance or deductible amounts. The amount that you owe depends on the specific health insurance plan you have.
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The following Insurance Providers have credentialed Matters of the Heart Counseling Centers. Please note not all clinicians are on every panel. We will have the details when you call.
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Aetna
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Alameda Alliance
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Anthem Blue Cross
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Cigna
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Concern EAP
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Kaiser (Pre-authorization required)
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Lyra
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Medi-Cal ACCESS (Pre-authorization required) (800) 491-9099
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MHN (Healthnet)
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Optum
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Sutter Health Plus (United Healthcare)
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Tri-Care West
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United Healthcare
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UMR
Out of Network Providers: If you do not see your provider on the list above, there are options.
Most PPO plans have a policy regarding “Out of Network Providers.” The client makes payment at the time of the session, and if you choose, insurance will then reimburse you a percentage of the session cost. Insurance providers typically reimburse 50-80% of the session cost. Example: Individual session fee is $145. Your insurance may require you to meet your deductible, and then they will pay/reimburse anywhere from ($72.50 - $116.00).
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We recommend that every client be proactive and ensure that their insurer is paying for benefits you expect to receive. When using your healthcare insurance to pay for visits, we always recommend you call the number on the back of your insurance card to learn more about your mental health benefits.
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