CLINIC POLICIES

EMERGENCY SERVICES POLICY

Suburban Psychiatric Specialists, PC is an outpatient practice and does not provide emergency services.
For psychiatric or medical emergencies, call 911, contact 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or proceed to the nearest Emergency Department.
Messages left by phone, email, or through the patient portal will be responded to within one (1) business day.

Payment for services, including copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and outstanding balances, is due at the time services are rendered.
For your convenience, we accept cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, American Express, HSA/FSA cards, and Zelle.
We will bill contracted insurance carriers; however, it is the patient’s responsibility to verify insurance eligibility, benefits, referrals, prior authorizations, and coverage limitations before services are rendered.
Any balance not paid by insurance remains the patient’s responsibility.
A valid credit or debit card must be maintained on file for all telehealth patients.
Returned checks will incur a $35.00 processing fee.
Payment links for telehealth appointments will be sent 1–2 business days before the scheduled appointment. Patients may use any payment method to prepay. If payment has not been received before the appointment, the card on file may be charged prior to the visit.
Once insurance claims have been processed, any remaining patient responsibility will be billed to the patient. Balances are due within thirty (30) days of statement issuance. Unpaid balances may be charged to the card on file after notification to the patient.
Overpayments will be refunded upon request or applied to future services

Patients participating in telehealth services must maintain a valid payment method on file.
At the time of each telehealth appointment, patients must provide their current physical location and a working telephone number in case of technical difficulties or emergencies.
Patients must be physically located in a state where their provider is licensed to practice at the time of the visit.
Patients are responsible for ensuring that telehealth visits are conducted from a private and safe location that protects confidentiality.
Telehealth visits may not be conducted while driving or while a passenger in a moving vehicle. If a patient joins a visit while driving or riding in a moving vehicle, the provider will terminate the session and the appointment may be considered a no-show or late cancellation.

Medication refills are generally addressed during scheduled appointments.
If a refill is needed between appointments, patients should submit requests through the patient portal or contact the office directly.
Refill requests submitted through pharmacies will not be accepted and may be redirected to the patient.
Patients should allow up to three (3) business days for refill processing.
Depending on clinical circumstances, a limited bridge prescription may be provided until the next scheduled appointment, or an earlier follow-up appointment may be required before refills are authorized.

Controlled substances will not be prescribed between scheduled visits except when clinically appropriate and at the provider’s discretion.
Early refills for lost, stolen, damaged, or misplaced controlled substance prescriptions generally will not be provided.
Patients prescribed controlled substances must comply with all applicable federal and state laws, treatment recommendations, medication monitoring requirements, and follow-up schedules.
Any evidence of medication misuse, diversion, falsification of information, obtaining controlled substances from multiple providers without disclosure, or violation of treatment agreements may result in discontinuation of controlled substance prescribing and/or discharge from the practice.

Appointments cancelled with less than twenty-four (24) hours’ notice, missed appointments, or appointments that cannot be completed due to patient non-compliance with telehealth requirements may incur the following fees:
- New Patient Evaluation: $150.00
- Follow-Up Appointment: $100.00
- SPRAVATO® Treatment Appointment: $100.00
Three (3) or more missed appointments may result in dismissal from the practice.

Clinical evaluation, medication management, treatment recommendations, or other medical services provided through secure patient portal communications may be billable services.
A charge of up to $20.00 may apply for qualifying asynchronous medical services. These charges may be submitted to insurance when applicable and any patient responsibility determined by the insurance carrier will remain the patient’s responsibility

Patients who have not attended an appointment and do not have a future appointment scheduled for six (6) months or longer will be considered inactive and no longer under the active care of the practice.
Patients seeking to resume treatment after becoming inactive may be required to undergo re-evaluation and may be scheduled as established or new patients based on payer requirements and clinical considerations.
Patients who have received services from any provider within the practice during the previous three (3) years are generally considered established patients and should not be scheduled as new patient intakes unless required by a specific payer policy.

The practice reserves the right to discontinue treatment due to non-adherence with treatment recommendations, repeated missed appointments, disruptive or threatening behavior, non-payment of balances, medication misuse, or when a higher level of care is clinically indicated.
When appropriate, patients will receive written notice of termination, referral resources, and emergency coverage information for up to thirty (30) days following discharge.

CLINIC POLICIES: List

Ready to learn more about what is right for you?
📞 Call us at 508-206-8578