To help you familiarize yourself with our office
Here are some of our standard policies for you to review before your appointment. If you have questions, feel free to contact us. We love hearing from you!
Scheduling a New Patient Appointment
All new patients are allotted a one-hour evaluation. To help prevent this loss of time in the case of missed appointments, we require a $100.00 deposit in order to schedule and hold a new patient's appointment.
Upon arrival at the new patient's appointment, the deposit will apply towards the visit charge and any remaining balance will be collected at that time.
No-Show Policy
If you have to cancel an appointment - it's no problem. We know that life happens. All we ask is that you notify us Monday through Friday of any cancellation at least 24 hours before your appointment. In the case that we do not receive adequate notice for cancellation, we charge a $50.00 No-Show fee for missed appointments. In the rare case that a new patient appointment is missed, the initial deposit is retained.
We are devoted to quality patient care and respect your time so we don't double-book - your appointment is your appointment. This means that each missed appointment is lost and wasted time that the doctor could have spent helping another patient. We greatly appreciate your acceptance of and cooperation with this policy.
Self-Pay Policy
We are a Self-pay practice as of December 2018. This means that our patients pay 100% out-of-pocket for their visit costs. We realize that paying completely out-of-pocket may not be an affordable or reasonable option for some. With this in mind, Dr. Augustus uses a standard sliding scale to offer patients a discounted Self-pay rate based on income and ability to pay.
Think you qualify for a discounted rate? All you need to do is fill out our Fee Reduction Form and provide current proof of income.
Please give our office a call at (901) 372-0914 and we'll get this form to you.
FAQs
Is there any way for me to see Dr. Augustus and still use my behavioral health insurance?
- YES. If you have a health plan with outpatient, out-of-network behavioral health benefits, you can still see Dr. Augustus. Although we collect the total visit charge amount from patients at the time of service, we provide you with a payment receipt that you can then provide to your insurance to request reimbursement. Each insurance plan is different so we are here to provide assistance wherever we are able to help you get reimbursed according to your eligible plan benefits.
If I have active health insurance, will my plan cover costs for my visits with Dr. Augustus?
- Each health plan has different benefits and depends on your specific policy. If you plan on getting reimbursed from your insurance for your out-of-pocket costs: call your insurance plan at the number on your ID card, provide your policy information and ask a representative if you have mental health coverage. Please do this before you come in to see Dr. Augustus to verify your eligibility and avoid unexpected charges.
I've spoken with a health plan representative, and I'm still confused. How am I supposed to decipher what my health plan does and does not cover?
Insurance language can be confusing and get overwhelming. Here are some common terms and phrases to help you better understand your insurance plan:
- Mental health vs. Behavioral health coverage: These are the same thing and are used interchangeably. Medical coverage may include behavioral health benefits, but not always. When you contact your insurance plan, specifically ask if you have "mental or behavioral health coverage".
- In-network vs. Out-of-network benefits: Insurance plans have contracts with providers for certain reimbursement rates. In-network providers have out-of-network providers are not assured the same level of reimbursement
Once I provide my insurance plan with all requested information, am I guaranteed full and immediate reimbursement from them?
- From the day you independently file your claim, insurances generally ask that you allow 30 days. Certain procedures and diagnosis may not be covered by your health plan/network.
Not all medical policies include mental/behavioral health coverage and benefits so we earnestly ask patients to call their insurance companies and verify their coverage prior to their appointment dates to avoid unexpected charges.