Bay Area Christian Counseling Practice Policies

Forms of Payment Accepted

We accept cash, personal checks, money order and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express) to be applied for payment of copays, deductibles or other relevant charges. Copays/deductibles need to be made at the time of your appointment. We also accept HSA and FSA cards.

Insurances Accepted

We are currently credentialed with the following insurance companies:

• Aetna (Commercial)
• Anthem Blue Cross
• Beacon Health Options (Commercial)
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BCBS)
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield Federal (BCBS FEP)
• CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
• CareFirst Administrators
• CareFirst BlueChoice
• Cigna
• Johns Hopkins Healthcare (EHP/USFHP)
• Magellan
• Managed Health Network
• MultiPlan
• Optum Health
• Tricare
• United Behavioral Health (Commercial)
• Value Options (now Beacon Health Options-Commercial)

EAP’s accepted:

• Aetna EAP, Beacon Health Option EAP, Cigna EAP, Corpcare, CuraLinc, DEA, Health Advocate, Mutual of Omaha, New Directions, Optum EAP, WorkPlace Options

Please confirm your counselor accepts your insurance. Not all counselors accept all of the above at this time.
We do not accept Medicare, Medicaid or any plan provided by the state.

We will contact your insurance company to check your plan, but we recommend you also contact them to get details about your coverage. A phone call to your insurance will help you to make an educated decision and avoid insurance issues later. Important questions to ask:

• Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
• Is the counselor I want to see on your preferred provider list?
• If not, do I have out-of-network coverage and what is it?
• What is my in-network and out-of-network deductible and have they been met for the year? (your deductible is the amount you must pay before your insurance starts to pay)
• How much am I responsible to pay for each session, co-payment or co-insurance?
• Is telehealth covered on my policy? If so, can I see any counselor or do I have to use a particular group?
• If allowed, is the copayment or co-insurance the same for telehealth?
• How many mental health sessions does my insurance cover per year?
• Is a referral or preauthorization needed prior to my appointment?

Self-Pay Clients

Our self-pay fees are located on our Intake Forms. We offer a sliding scale fee that is based on your annual income for the past two (2) years, the number of dependents and your ability to pay.

Late Cancel/Missed Appointments

Our policy is for clients to provide at least 24 hours’ notice in advance of canceling a scheduled appointment. Please call the office and speak with the receptionist or leave a message on our voicemail.

Failure to provide a 24-hour notice will result in the client being charged for the total cost of the session. Your insurance company will not pay for a missed appointment.

Returned Check Fee

We will assess a $35.00 fee for all returned checks and declined credit cards.

Miscellaneous Fees and Charges

• Court Testimony Fee: $200.00 per hour with a four (4) hour minimum $800.00. The $800.00 minimum will be paid in advance.
• Report Preparation Fee: $150 per report
• Letters: $25.00 to $75.00 depending on the detail that is required.
• Arriving late to an appointment: 16-20 minutes is $40, 20-30 minutes is $75, and 30+ minutes is a full no-show fee.

Holidays

We will normally be closed for the observance of the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas.

You can check with the office or your counselor for any holiday closing questions.

Appointment Request and Scheduling

Your first appointment will be scheduled through our office staff. Once your appointment is confirmed, you will receive access to our secure client portal. Through the portal, you can complete and submit forms, as well as upload required information.

Please note that not all forms are available in the portal. Additional forms will be emailed to you and must be returned via encrypted email, fax, or by uploading to a secure storage platform (e.g., Google Drive) and sharing access. All required documents must be submitted at least 48 hours prior to your appointment to avoid cancellation.

With portal access, you will also be able to request future appointments. Appointments may be scheduled through the portal, or by our staff or your counselor as needed. Please note that appointments cannot be canceled or changed online — to make changes, you must call, email, or send a secure message through the portal.

At or before your first appointment, we will verify your insurance coverage, deductible, and co-payment/coinsurance amounts with your insurance provider. While we make every effort to accommodate scheduling needs, please be aware that counselor schedules vary. All appointment times are ultimately at the discretion of the counselor.