When you search for providers using the BCBSIL (Blue Cross Blue Shield) search engine, you have to enter a zipcode or city. My information will only show under Springfield, IL 62704 because this is where my virtual address is located. That does not mean that I am not in your network. As long as you have BCBSIL PPO, I am in your network. I provide teletherapy services only which means I am in network in all of Illinois. If you have questions or need help verifying, please feel free to contact me or call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card.

No. I am not a psychiatrist.

If you are using insurance, I must justify that therapy is “medically necessary” which involves labeling the client with a mental health diagnosis. This is often required after the first visit, and then becomes part of the permanent health record.

If you are private-pay, I do not diagnose unless requested or if I believe it will assist in the treatment plan/process. I will always discuss this with you. Some clients may not fit a diagnosis and so none is given if utilizing private pay.

What are the advantages of getting a diagnosis?

Receiving a diagnosis provides greater and deeper understanding of oneself. This can be educational and empowering. Unexplained feelings or behaviors can now be explained as a symptom of a diagnosis. This can be a huge relief to an individual and a family as well as a huge eliminator of stress. Effective therapeutic approaches and tools can be implemented.

If the child is 12 years and older, they have to provide consent for parent and/or guardian to sit on the session. Children under 12, I would want to encourage them to make their own decision.

In general, as the child gets older — anything over age 10 or 11 — a parent being in the room while the child is in therapy may become awkward for them and unnecessary. Many times, there is hardly a reason for a parent to accompany adolescents into the therapy session (although there will be some exceptions). Because I do not provide family therapy, parent’s involvement in a session is dependent on the needs of the child/adolescent as well as their rights to privacy and confidentiality. Confidentiality remains between the child and therapist so that the therapeutic process can proceed without hindrances and barriers. When the child feels safe with the therapist and supported in treatment, better outcomes are observed.

Yes, I can provide therapy without using health insurance. Private pay clients are responsible for paying full-fee of $150.00 per session.

Pros of Private Pay:

• You won’t be labeled with a mental health diagnosis unless you request this type of assessment.

• Mental health diagnosis is not mandatory and not submitted to your private health records.

• You will be able to stay with your therapist even if your insurance plan coverage changes.

• You choose the therapist best suited to your needs rather than the insurance company telling you who to see are not restricted by insurance companies.

• No insurance equals less documentation. This results in more quality time to focus on therapy.

• You are guaranteed privacy and confidentiality.

• Flexible scheduling and availability

Cons of Private Pay:

• Not everyone is able to pay the full fee. Therefore, insurance would be beneficial to use to pay for therapy services.

Pros of Health Insurance:

• Depending on your insurance policy, you may have a $0 to small co-pay only to pay out of pocket.

• The Affordable Care Act makes it illegal for insurance companies to deny you coverage for pre-existing conditions, including a mental health condition.

• Ability for therapist to accept clients who need to pay via insurance.

• No large up front out of pocket pay (unless your deductible must be met before co-insurance applies).

Cons of Health Insurance:

• Therapist must make a case that therapy is “medically necessary” which involves labeling the client with a mental health diagnosis. This is often required after the first visit, and then becomes part of the permanent health record.

• Insurance providers require a co-pay and a large deductible to be met when seeking treatment.

• Insurance policies change per year and for some clients, this may result in higher premiums based on your mental health diagnosis.

• Many insurance companies provide payment only for certain approaches of therapy (short-term and problem-focused).

Identify a quiet room for that is equipped with computer, internet access, and webcam. Then we each log onto my safe, confidential online video conferencing system to meet for a private teletherapy session.

Privacy and confidentiality are important in the therapeutic process. Finding a space in the home that increases privacy will allow you to feel comfortable and safe to engage in session. This will allow you to get the full benefits of therapy.

Therapy only works if the adolescent wants to participate. In Illinois, children 12 years and older have the legal right to consent and refuse mental health services. Meaning, parents cannot force them to attend therapy.

Under Illinois law, minors age 12 through 17 have the right to access and authorize release of their own mental health and developmental disabilities records and information, and their parents have such rights only if the minor does not object or the therapist does not feel there are compelling reasons to deny parental access. Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act, 740 ILCS 110/5.

Ethically and legally, a therapist is required to breach confidentiality if you indicate that someone is hurting you, or if you plan to hurt yourself or others, or if there is a subpoena from a judge court-ordering treatment records.

The No Surprises Act was passed in December 2020, under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, with the aim of protecting consumers from receiving unexpected medical bills.

The Good Faith Estimate provision of the No Surprises Act federally mandates that healthcare providers must give clients an estimate of anticipated healthcare items and services, using what is called a “Good Faith Estimate.” This took effect on January 1, 2022.

A Good Faith Estimate is an estimate of the total expected costs of non-emergency healthcare items or services. Intends to offer predictability & transparency in how much clients will be charged for healthcare services prior to their appointment.

Includes all regularly scheduled appointments (i.e. therapy sessions).

Does NOT include no-shows, late cancellations, or other services related to crisis care, which by definition are unexpected and cannot be predicted for the purpose of compiling a Good Faith Estimate in advance.

May also include consultations with client collateral contacts, fees related to paperwork requests, and other legal and administrative fees related to client care, when such items are scheduled in advance.

In my practice, I offer Good Faith Estimates that project out 12 months in advance. Essentially, your estimate will give you a reasonable idea what to expect in terms of therapy costs for one whole year, based on my current rates and the frequency of sessions that we mutually agree upon in advance.

In addition, the Good Faith Estimate offers specific protections:

1. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate even if you get superbills from me.

2. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare service or items.

3. You have the right to receive your Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your scheduled healthcare service or item. If a service is scheduled at least 10 business days in advance, the Good Faith Estimate must be provided within 3 business days (of the scheduling, not of the appointment itself). If a service is scheduled at least 3 business days in advance, the Good Faith Estimate must be provided within 1 business day of scheduling.

4. You have the right to request a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a healthcare service or item. For services scheduled less than 3 business days in advance, please note that a Good Faith Estimate is not required by federal law, and will not be provided for you in written form except by request.

5. You have the right to receive a requested Good Faith Estimate within 3 business days.

6. You have the right to dispute a bill that exceeds your Good Faith Estimate. The federal government offers a dispute resolution process for this purpose.

Make sure to save a copy or photo of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions about the dispute process or for more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, please visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises

DISCLAIMERS: The information provided in the Good Faith Estimate is only that: an estimate. Actual healthcare items, services, or charges may differ or change throughout the year, even for long-term established clients. For new clients, I may revise your estimate once we have met and discussed more details around your symptoms, likely diagnoses, severity, and treatment plan, which may not be reflected in the Good Faith Estimate you initially receive. However, I will never schedule healthcare services or items without client consent, and clients may request an updated Good Faith Estimate at any time.

The Good Faith Estimate is not a contract, and does not bind, obligate, or require any client to obtain healthcare services or items from me at any time.

There are no federal provisions allowing clients to waive their right to a Good Faith Estimate at this time. The regulation allows clients to waive some of the protections related to balance billing, but does not allow me as a therapist to bypass the Good Faith Estimate through a client waiver. As such, I am required by law to send all ongoing clients new Good Faith Estimates every 12 months; clients cannot opt-out, and are required to acknowledge receipt and understanding of each new Good Faith Estimate in order to comply with federal law so that we may continue working together.

Still have questions about the Good Faith Estimate? Please visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises for more guidance

Client Email/Phone/Texting Informed Consent Form.

You may give permission to Nuve Therapy, PLLC to communicate with you by email, phone, and text message (also known as SMS). This form provides information about the risks of these forms of communication, guidelines for email/phone/text communication, and how we use email/phone/text communication. It also will be used to document your consent for communication with you by email, phone, and text message.

1. ​Risks of using email/texting:
The transmission of client information by email, phone and/or texting has a number of risks that clients should consider prior to the use of email, phone and/or texting. These include, but are not limited to, the following risks:
A. Emails, phone calls/voicemails, and text messages can be circulated, forwarded, stored electronically and on paper, and broadcast to unintended recipients.
B. Email and text senders can easily misaddress an email or text and send the information to an undesired recipient.
C. Backup copies of emails and texts may exist even after the sender and/or the recipient has deleted his or her copy.
D. Emails, phone calls, voicemails, and texts can be intercepted, altered, forwarded or used without authorization or detection.
E. Emails, voicemails, and texts can be used as evidence in court.
F. Emails, phone calls, voicemails, and texts may not be secure and therefore it is possible that the confidentiality of such communications may be breached by a third party.

2. Conditions for the use of email and texts:
The provider cannot guarantee but will use reasonable means to maintain the security and confidentiality of email, phone, voicemail, and text information sent and received. The provider is not liable for improper disclosure of confidential information that is not caused by the provider’s intentional misconduct.

Clients/Parent’s/Legal Guardians must acknowledge and consent to the following conditions:
A. The provider cannot guarantee that any particular email and/or text will be read and responded to within any particular period of time. The provider will respond to text messages, voicemails, and emails Monday-Saturday during the hours of 4pm-9pm, unless otherwise specified. Voicemails, text messages, and emails will not be answered outside of these hours or on the weekends/holidays.
B. Email and texting is not appropriate for urgent or emergency situations. If you experience a mental health emergency, please go to your nearest emergency room and/or call 911
C. Email and texts should be concise. The client/parent/legal guardian should call and/or schedule an appointment to discuss complex and/or sensitive situations.
D. Email communication will be printed and filed into the client’s medical record if deemed necessary. Texts may be printed and filed as well if deemed necessary.
E. Clients/parents/legal guardians should not use email or texts for communication of sensitive medical information.
F. The provider is not liable for breaches of confidentiality caused by the client or any third party.
G. It is the client’s/parent’s/legal guardian’s responsibility to follow up and/or schedule an appointment if warranted.
H. Non-face-to-face evaluation and management of services provided by the provider to a client via telephone is subject to billing if initiated by an established client, or guardian of an established client.