Fees and Insurance

Throughout my career, I have seen that doctors and patients alike often find it difficult to talk about money. Like sex, romance, politics, religion, and a few other sensitive subjects, people tend to have very strong feelings about money, and especially a lot of pride and self-esteem connected to their financial status. But like any other subject shared with a psychologist, money can and should be discussed openly. So I invite anyone with questions about fees, insurance, and any other part of our financial relationship to ask me about them freely. All thoughts, feelings, and concerns about finances are welcome.

Regarding insurance, everyone should understand that in general, insurance benefits for mental health services (psychotherapy and psychological testing) are usually quite limited. Insurance plans often reimburse for only a few sessions of psychotherapy, and testing can be reimbursed at a very low percentage rate. This means that no matter where you go, almost all high quality mental health evaluation and treatment services end up involving some amount of out-of-pocket payment.

Please be aware that I am not a provider for any insurance plans, and do not accept the assignment of insurance benefits as direct payment. Instead, my billing office routinely prepares claim forms completely filled out and signed so that they can be easily submitted by patients to get reimbursement for themselves from their insurance companies, which usually occurs within 30 days. That said, I certainly understand that some patients feel it necessary to see a provider on their insurance plan’s network. Therefore, I will offer anyone who contacts me to review their plan’s network provider list, and to recommend a provider I know of.

Finally, regarding my own fees, I routinely update them every two years in order to keep pace with increased costs of living. For this reason, I do not list a specific fee for services here. I do know that my fees are not the highest I know of in the Miami area, and are at a level which reflects my 30+ years of experience and advanced training.

Nonetheless, I hasten to say again, I invite open discussion of my fees, your own financial situation, and any other concerns you may have. If we are unable to come to a mutually comfortable financial arrangement, I promise to help you find the best professional colleague I know who can be available to you.

– Dr. Tom Bonner