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Office Policies & Fees

Office Policies & Fees

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Fees: Patient responsibility will vary by insurance plan. Typically a copay or rate contracted by your insurance company will apply. Please check with your insurance company for specifics. Your benefits will also be verified prior to your appointment with our office.

Administrative Requests (Children & Adults): $100/ hour. This includes but is not limited to: any letter or form to a third party, writing summaries of care, medical record requests, and discussions about care with individuals besides the patient (with patient permission). The patient’s credit card on file is used for pre-payment. Please allow 14 days for administrative requests.

Cash Appointment Rates:

  • Physicians and Nurse Practitioners: $600 for initial appointments and $300 for follow-up appointments
  • Psychologists and LPCs: $300 for initial appointments and $225 for follow-up appointments

Table of contents

Policies

Practice Policies and Patient Information – Updated Dec 2025

1. Appointments and Care Structure

Scheduling and Deposits

Initial consultations are scheduled after a brief phone conversation to ensure Fine Tune Psychiatry is a good fit for your care. A credit card is required to reserve your appointment. A $5 deposit will be charged and applied to future balances or refunded if you do not follow through with your initial appointment. This confirms we have a valid card on file.

Forms

All intake forms must be signed and completed 48+ hours prior to your initial appointment, or your appointment may be rescheduled. Our practice needs adequate time to review your information and verify your insurance.

Initial Evaluations

Initial evaluations are 60 minutes and include a comprehensive psychiatric and medical history. Laboratory studies and a brief neurological exam may be part of the evaluation.

With your permission, your provider may request collateral information from other medical providers, family members, or significant others to assist with diagnosis and treatment planning.

The initial visit is a consultation. It allows both you and the provider to determine whether ongoing care is appropriate.

Follow-Up Care

If both parties agree to continue care, follow-up visits are typically 30 minutes with nurse practitioners and physicians, and 45 minutes with LPCs and psychologists. Treatment planning is collaborative and may include medication management, therapy, or both.

If you have an outside therapist, we are happy to coordinate care with a signed release of information.

To remain an active patient, visits are required at least every 3 months, or more frequently if recommended by your provider.

2. Medical Insurance

Fine Tune Psychiatry participates with select commercial insurance plans.

CURRENTLY ACCEPTING AND/OR PENDING ACCEPTING*

  • Pennsylvania: Aetna (CVS Health), United Healthcare/Optum, Highmark BCBS, Independence Blue Cross (IBX)
  • New Jersey: Aetna (CVS Health), United Healthcare/Optum, Horizon BCBS
  • Delaware: Aetna (CVS Health), United Healthcare/Optum, Highmark BCBS

*Our scheduling specialists will verify acceptance of your insurance when scheduling.

Fine Tune Psychiatry does not participate in Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, Medical Assistance, or Medicaid Managed Care Plans. We cannot schedule patients who have these plans, even as secondary insurance.

Patients should understand that these programs offer significantly lower-cost care elsewhere. Additionally, federal and state regulations frequently limit prescription coverage, referrals, or prior authorizations when seeing out-of-network providers. Patients are encouraged to contact their insurance program directly for more information and referrals.

3. Fees and Payment Policies

Insurance benefits are verified prior to your first visit.

All patient-responsible charges are due at the time of service and are payable by credit card, including Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, FSAs, and HSAs. We do not accept checks or cash.

All patients must maintain an active credit card on file. This card may be used for missed appointments, late cancellations, administrative work, letters, family conferences, or services not covered by insurance.

Accounts that remain unpaid may be sent to collections.

Late cancellations or no-shows for two or more appointments within a 12 month period may result in discharge from the practice at your provider’s discretion.

Payment by a third party does not alter confidentiality. Information may only be released with the patient’s written consent.

If you lose insurance, you will be responsible for the full fees that are billed to your insurance.

Fees

  • Physicians and Nurse Practitioners: $600 for initial appointments and $300 for follow-up appointments
  • Psychologists and LPCs: $300 for initial appointments and $225 for follow-up appointments
  • Administrative Requests (Children & Adults): $100/ hour. This includes but is not limited to: any letter or form to a third party, writing summaries of care, medical record requests, and discussions about care with individuals besides the patient (with patient permission).

The patient’s credit card on file is used for pre-payment. Please allow 14 days for administrative requests.

We do not offer sliding scale fees or discounts. Your provider and Fine Tune Psychiatry staff may be able to assist you in finding more affordable options if necessary.

4. Non–Face-to-Face Care and Billing Transparency

Care provided outside of scheduled appointments may include patient-initiated messaging, phone calls, record review, care coordination, medical decision-making, or administrative tasks. When appropriate, this time may be billed to insurance or charged directly to the patient.

Some concerns cannot be addressed outside of an appointment. Issues involving medication changes or complex decision-making require a visit.

Insurance coverage varies. Patients are responsible for any applicable copays, coinsurance, or non-covered charges. Communication outside of visits indicates acceptance of these terms.

5. Missed Appointments, Cancellations, and Weather Policy

A minimum of 48 hours’ notice is required to cancel an appointment. Late cancellations or missed appointments are charged a $75 fee.
If you do not arrive within 10 minutes of your scheduled time, the visit must be rescheduled and the fee applies.

Missed appointment fees are not covered by insurance and cannot be paid using HSA or FSA funds.

Appointments may be canceled by messaging your provider or leaving a voicemail.

The practice does not close for weather unless there is a declared state of emergency. Most visits can be converted to telehealth when weather is an issue.

6. Controlled Medication Prescribing

Controlled medications are prescribed in strict accordance with state and federal regulations. An in-person visit may be required initially and at least every 90 days.

Refills require appointments. Lost or stolen controlled medications are never replaced. Withdrawal symptoms related to lost or stolen medications require emergency care via 911 or the emergency room.

There is no guarantee that controlled medications will be prescribed, regardless of past diagnoses or treatments. Records, testing, or pharmacy histories are helpful but do not obligate prescribing.

Providers may delay prescribing until sufficient records, databases, and assessments are reviewed. If urgent controlled medication prescribing is expected, this practice may not be a good fit.

Disagreement with diagnosis or prescribing decisions does not justify fee waivers.

7. Consent and Treatment Decisions

By receiving care at Fine Tune Psychiatry, patients consent to psychiatric evaluation and treatment as clinically indicated. Patients may accept or decline recommendations; however, declining treatment may limit the provider’s ability to continue care.

All diagnoses and treatment decisions are based on provider judgment, safety, medical necessity, and applicable laws. No specific diagnosis, medication, or treatment is guaranteed.

Providers may decline or discontinue care when clinically appropriate. Continued care constitutes acceptance of these terms.

8. Medical Records and Administrative Requests

Typically, a brief summary of care is provided upon request. Full evaluations, progress notes, and therapy notes are generally not released unless specifically required.

Administrative work such as forms, letters, disability paperwork, or accommodation requests is billed at $100 per hour and charged to the card on file. Insurance does not cover these services.

See the Notice of Privacy Practices for additional details.

9. Office Coverage

When a provider is unavailable, coverage information is listed on their outoing voicemail and automatic message responses. Non-emergent issues may be directed to the covering provider.

Refills are handled Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, within 48 business hours (business hours are Mon-Fri, 9 am to 5 pm, excluding federal holidays.) Covering providers are not required to refill controlled substances.

Patients are responsible for scheduling appointments far enough in advance to avoid running out of medications.

10. Medication Requests and Refills

Refill requests should be made directly to your provider via voicemail or the patient portal. Pharmacies should not be used to request refills, as this results in a burdensome amount of communication to our providers.

Refills are processed during business hours only. Allow up to 48 business hours.

If you have not been seen within the last 3 months, a $25 fee applies for refill requests or an appointment may be required.

11. Communication with Providers

Patients may contact providers via business phone, business e-mail, or the Simple Practice patient portal. Portal messages become part of the medical record. Your provider will discuss their preferred method of communication at your intake visit. Content from voicemails, emails and portal messages become part of the medical record.

Messages are best used for scheduling, refills, and administrative needs. Matters requiring extended discussion may require an appointment.

Calls and messages are typically returned within 48 business hours.

Misuse of messaging or phone access may result in termination of care. Social media and texting are never acceptable forms of communication. Our business lines do NOT accept texts.

12. Discharge and Chart Closure

Charts may be closed for reasons including voluntary termination of care, repeated missed appointments, lack of follow-up, violation of agreements, need for higher level of care, or provider determination that care cannot continue appropriately.

If no visit occurs for 3 or more months, notice will be sent prior to chart closure.

Once a chart is closed, the practice cannot provide prescriptions, appointments, or crisis support. Patients are responsible for maintaining regular follow-up and updated contact information.

Re-establishing care is not guaranteed and depends on provider availability and discretion.

13. Transfers Within the Practice

Transfers between providers require discussion with the current provider and completion of a transfer request form. Transfers depend on both providers approval, and the receiving provider’s availability.

Only one internal transfer is permitted. Patients discharged from the practice for certain reasons (such as due to hostility toward provider or staff, or for breaching a controlled medication contract, or if a provider deemed that our practice does not have the resources or skill-set to best serve the patient) may not re-enter under another provider.

14. Emergencies

Emergency numbers that can be called 24/7 are provided on provider voicemails and the practice website: https://finetunepsych.com/policies-fees/.

For psychiatric or medical emergencies, patients must call 988, 911, or go to the nearest emergency room before calling these numbers. This is mandatory.

The practice is designed for moderate levels of psychiatric care. Patients requiring inpatient treatment or intensive crisis services may be assisted with transitioning to a higher level of care.

Emergency Contacts

All patients must have at least one emergency contact on file. At the provider’s discretion, this contact may be notified in the event of a serious medical or psychiatric emergency—such as risk of harm to self or others, sudden severe illness, or inability to care for oneself. The decision to contact the emergency person is not taken lightly and will only be done when the provider feels serious harm may occur by not doing so. Patients are responsible for keeping their emergency contact information current and should choose someone they feel comfortable with.

Business hours definition: Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, excluding federal holidays.

Emergency Lines

These lines may not accept texts, and we are not responsible for any information texted to them. Patients must go to the ER, nearest crisis center, or call 911 before calling these numbers:

  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 for 24/7 free and confidential support.
  • Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline: Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or text “HelpLine” to 62640 for resources and support.
  • National Child Abuse Hotline: Call 800-422-4453 for 24/7 parent/child support.
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
  • Drug and Alcohol Treatment Hotline: Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
  • Fine Tune Providers: