Agency Fees and Billing Practices

Part 1: Agency Fees and Billing Practices
Describe the practices used at your fieldwork site for collecting fees in payment for services provided to clients.
Ans: Family Integrated Counseling Services is a private own business. The agency according to Dr. Taylor collects fess for services render to clients from the insurance companies. Dr. Taylor furthered explained that the agency does not require an out of pocket payment for client service. The insurance covers 100 percent of the clients fees.
Do clients’ payments cover 100 percent of the session costs for every session, or does the agency also bill outside parties for clients’ counseling sessions (also called third-party reimbursement).
Ans: According to Dr. Taylor, the Insurance covers 100 percent of the clients fees.
If your site bills for some reimbursement of fees, do they bill a wide range of insurance companies or third-party providers? List some of the companies that your site bills and explain if certain types of third-party payers are excluded.
ANS: The company does not bill for reimbursement instead the insurance company billed for services can request reimburse for double billing or dual services.
. What process is used for billing? For example, does the third party pay your site directly or are clients expected to pay out of pocket and in turn be reimbursed by the third party? Does your site have a person designated to do their billing or are the staff expected to manage these processes?
Ans: The process use for billing includes a service must be provided, process notes written and time sheet to prove that the client was seen. The clients seen at this agency does not pay out of pocket. The site does have a designated person to do the billing.
Evaluate the impact of third-party reimbursement on the practices of a clinical mental health site. Are there any limitations that third-party reimbursement places on a site’s practices or any restriction to the services offered? How would a site’s policy regarding billing third parties for reimbursement either enhance or reduce available services to clients? For example, might some clients not be offered services by the agency?
Part 2: Agency Policies and Record-Keeping Practices
Describe how clients at your agency are informed about key agency policies, like fees, third-party payment processes, confidentiality, billing for missed sessions, et cetera.
Ans: The agency doe not discussed fees with the clients instead fees are discussed with/through the insurance company. There is no third party payment required. The confidentiality is explained at the time of the assessment.
. Is a separate intake process used to inform clients about agency practices or is it the assigned counselor’s responsibility to provide this information? Do clients review or sign any forms regarding these agency policies?
ANS:
Describe the specific record-keeping practices used at your fieldwork site.
Ans: The record keeping of each client is place on a chart and kept under lock and keys
. How does your site maintain client confidentiality and privacy for client records?
Ans: The site ensure that clients information are
Evaluate the manner in which your site handles client billing and record keeping and the extent to which it aligns with laws, regulations, and ethical standards.
Ans: Billing of clients are done either through the insurance or a third party that have all the dropdown menu of all insurance company. To protect the privacy of the clients, the site requires a log in information to authentic or verify the person that is responsible for billing for the company.
. Which ethical and legal standards are relevant to your setting? Refer to the specific ethical codes and state laws or regulations that pertain to the practices used at your site
. What does your site do well in terms of their record-keeping practices? Where could it improve?
Ans: When it comes to record keeping at my site, they are organized and ensure that they track documents daily.