What is Fee-For-Service?
Fee-for-service (FFS) is practicing medicine or other health services, such as clinical psychology, outside of managed healthcare. FFS practitioners choose not to enroll in health insurance networks, and willingly pass up opportunity for network referrals in order to practice in a very different way.
Why not managed care?
Centralized health databases are relatively new, and several disturbing data-breech incidents have already occurred. Given the sensitive nature of the type of information often revealed in psychotherapy sessions and reflected in the psychologist's notes, I do not feel comfortable with the arrangement that would require me to submit my session notes for "quality review" by the third-party payer (who is not the patient), and who acknowledges upfront that any information I submit is fair game for centralized database upload.
How is Fee-for-Service better than managed care?
With FFS provider, you get to experience care the way it was meant to be!
I charge what I consider fair fees. They are in the same range as those of other FFS practitioners in my neighborhood with similar experience, scope of practice, and reputation. My rates are not determined by an algorithm, they are an accurate reflection of my work. Patients and clients choose to continue seeing me because they are happy with my work, not because I am the only therapist off the insurance website whose office is within five miles of their home.
I conduct only the number of sessions per day that I can do well - so every patient gets my best effort. If I am stretched and do not have it in me to treat another patient right - I will not enroll them until my calendar lightens up. Insurance therapists who accept significant fee reductions do not have the luxury of conducting fewer sessions in the interest of self-care and burnout prevention.
I do not have to account to a third-party payer for every minute of my time - so no premature termination because insurance ran out; no "I am sorry our time is up" while you are in the middle of your anxiety attack story; no "between-sessions contact is not covered by your plan". My sessions run 60 minutes - not 50, and if even that is not enough - no problem, we can go longer once in awhile. And, of course, no fiscal penalties for having a crisis between sessions and reaching out for help!
You are my patient and my payer. I guard your privacy for you alone (also your folks, if you are a teen - but I will ask for your permission to talk to them). Even if you seek reimbursement from your health spending account or insurance, they can not ask for my notes because they do not deal with me directly, they are just paying you back for what you already paid me.
Ready to try it for yourself?
Fill out the contact form, or call/text 650.416.6463 to schedule your FREE consultation!
