Psychiatrist billing question

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amother

Fri, Jul 03 2020, 1:28 pm

We pay out of pocket for a psychiatrist. He charges $350 per hour. We've been seeing him for awhile. We recently scheduled a 15 minute session for $150. we just got the bill and it says the appointment ran for 25 minutes and it's $250.

Who's responsible for ending the appointment? The first 3 or 4 minutes we were saying hello and talking about the virus. He's charging $10 per minute. How does the first few minutes of pleasantries work? I don't want to be rude, and I'd like to say hello how are you, but if it's gonna cost me $25 because it's 2.5 minutes, should I request ahead of time that when we walk in that we just get right to it and not say hello?

amother

Saddlebrown

Fri, Jul 03 2020, 1:31 pm

Speak to your therapist. If you don't feel comfortable discussing payment with the therapist, how are you able to form a therapeutic relationship.

Obviously you resent the way you were billed. You need to bring it up. At the very least the discussion of a tangible issue and how you react and deal with it would be an excellent starting off point for a therapeutic discussion.

amother

Pink

Fri, Jul 03 2020, 4:20 pm

Does he have a clear policy about this? I know my psychiatrist charges $220 for 20 minutes, but she often goes overtime and never charges for it.

notshanarishona

Fri, Jul 03 2020, 4:22 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

If you booked a 15 minute appointment, he should have made the effort to keep to the time without shmoozing.

notshanarishona

Fri, Jul 03 2020, 4:23 pm

He should keep track of the time according to what you booked. I would question it and not shmooze next time. I wouldn’t go to a doctor that I was so worried about billing me to the minute.

amother

Orange

Fri, Jul 03 2020, 4:24 pm

I've never gotten charged for overtime. Never seen a psychiatrist in particular but I've seen a couple of different types of therapists/ doctors.
I usually would prepare a check in advance though and just leave it on the desk on my way out.

amother

White

Sat, Jul 04 2020, 8:41 pm

once had with a therapist that I booked a double session at 175 a 45 minute session from 930 1100
at 1030 she dismissed us and billed until 11
she could have said ok we finished what we were discussing and half a half hour left to our session is there anything else you want to discuss
I never went back bec of her dishonesty with money

lavenderchimes

Sat, Jul 04 2020, 9:24 pm

The psychiatrist should end the session promptly. And you should not waste time shmoozing! I never do. You have friends to shmooze with for free;)

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