Frequently Asked Questions

How are visits conducted?

For Arizona patients, visits can occur virtually or in person and for Washington patients all visits will happen remotely using both video and audio via my secure Zoom platform.

 

Do you see patients in-person?

Yes, for patients located in the Tucson, Arizona area.

 

Does telepsychiatry work?

Yes. Both prior research and the pandemic suggest no degradation in effectiveness when comparing remote and in-person care. For many years I have worked as a coach with clients from all over the country exclusively using Zoom–I’ve found it to be just as powerful as in-person work.

 

What's the difference between a psychiatrist and psychiatric nurse practitioner?

The difference is considerable!  Psychiatrists first earn a bachelor's degree, then complete four years of medical school, combined with four additional years of residency training in psychiatry. Nurse practitioners, by contrast, complete a bachelor's degree in nursing then a two year master's degree in psychiatric nursing. Between the two exists a vast disparity in coursework, supervised patient care (thousands of hours for a psychiatrist and a mere 500 for NPs), psychotherapy training, and academic rigor. Nurse practitioners were initially intended to work under the supervision of a psychiatrist, but many states now permit them to practice independently, despite the comparative deficits in their training.  For further information, I'd highly recommend: https://www.physiciansforpatientprotection.org/the-problem/

 

Do you take insurance? 

No. I am not an in-network provider with any insurance plan. There are many benefits of this arrangement.

• I can spend more time with my patients.

• Treatment decisions are made entirely by myself and my patient, not by insurance companies or managed care organizations. 

Many insurance policies provide ‘out of network benefits’ that reimburse a portion of the treatment cost. I can help facilitate your efforts to claim traditional insurance benefits by providing you a receipt that you can then submit to your insurance company.

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What should I ask my insurance company to determine out-of-network reimbursement?

• How do I submit a claim for out-of-network reimbursement?

• How much is my "out-of-network deductible"?

• After I meet my deductible, how much will I be reimbursed (expressed as an exact dollar amount, not as a percentage of the "allowed amount") for an initial diagnostic evaluation (billing code 90792 with modifier 95), follow-up psychotherapy session (billing codes 99213 + 90836 with modifier 95), and brief follow-up (billing code 99214 with modifier 95?)

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What shall I do in case of an emergency?

Please note that as a solo provider I am not immediately available after hours or on weekends. If you feel you may need this level of access to your psychiatrist, I would recommend establishing care with a psychiatrist who is reachable 24/7. After all, it’s crucial you find a psychiatrist who is a great fit for you! 

 

What if I already have a therapist?

I’ll be happy to consult with you to determine whether medication and lifestyle interventions would be helpful, and will proactively collaborate with your therapist to create the best care possible for you.

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Do you prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine?

There are federal laws in place that limit the prescribing of controlled substances to patients I have not seen in person.

 

Since the pandemic, the DEA loosened their requirements such that I can currently prescribe controlled substances in most cases.  However, I cannot guarantee what the DEA’s final ruling will be on controlled substance prescribing via telemedicine, so all such prescriptions may be time limited.

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Note that some primary care physicians are comfortable prescribing controlled substance psychiatric medications once a patient is on a stable dosage.  

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What is your cancellation policy?

Your appointment time is reserved exclusively for you; therefore you have effectively contracted for that time. As such, if you do not cancel your appointment at least 48 hours in advance (so I can try to fit another patient into that time), you will be charged the full appointment fee. In the case of initial consultations, you will be charged $250.