Practice & Patients
Professional Services:
All services are provided by appointment. Treatment needs vary, and I will work with you to set up the most appropriate schedule.
Fees:
My fees are consistent with other psychiatrists practicing in the area. Please contact our office, and Linda or Pat will review the fee schedule with you. Initial appointments are seventy-five to ninety minutes long; follow-up appointments are either fifty minutes or twenty-five minutes. Historically I have adjusted my fees about every two years; when the rates change again, you will be given at least thirty days notice.
Other Possible Charges:
I consider brief phone calls to be part of ordinary treatment, and I do not bill patients. However, extended telephone time may be pro-rated at my usual rate.
Written reports, preparation of treatment summaries, consulting with other professionals with your permission, and the time spent performing any other service on your behalf will be pro-rated at my usual rate, if the time spent on these services is extensive.
I try to finish appointments within the time allotted. If we run significantly longer, the extra time is pro-rated. Again, I try to not do this unless the clinical situation warrants that the appointment runs long.
Insurance:
I do not participate in any managed care panels or insurance networks. If you have found me on a list of in-network providers, I am sorry to say that it is incorrect. Many insurers provide out-of-network benefits.
To check on Out-of-Network Benefits:
Call your insurance company to determine your benefits and to obtain a pre-authorization. Ask your insurance company if a "Treatment Plan" needs to be submitted in order for you to be reimbursed. With your permission, I will complete and submit Treatment Plans to your insurer. There is no charge for this.
We will provide you with an invoice at the time of each service. Your invoice contains all the pertinent information (diagnosis code, treatment code, date of service, etc) that your insurance company requires for you to submit for reimbursement.
Azaleas at Brighton Dam
Painting by Bill Schmidt
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Contacting Dr. Wheeler:
My office managers, Linda and Pat, answer the phones during office hours on Mondays through Fridays. If you get the voice mail at a time when we are usually here, Linda or Pat are probably with a patient or on the phone. We make every effort to return calls on the same business day on Mondays through Fridays.
For emergencies during work hours, please call the office. I do not answer my cell phone during appointments. Outside of work hours, established patients may call my cell phone. The number is on our outgoing voice mail, and it is also given to patients at their initial appointment. If you do not hear back within twenty minutes, then call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room.
When I am out of town or otherwise unavailable, I will have a trusted colleague covering my practice.
Cancellations:
We make reminder calls for appointments. If you need to cancel an appointment, please provide at least 24 hours notice. My practice often has a waiting list, and we need time to fill the appointment. Appointments canceled with less than 24 hours notice, or appointments missed without notice, will be billed at the regular rate if we cannot fill the time. Often we can fill the time, so we won't bill in these circumstances.
Confidentiality:
All spoken and written information related to your care is held in strictest confidence. I will not provide information to a third party without your written consent, except when required by law. Legal exceptions include potential harm to yourself or others, suspected child abuse, and some court subpoenas. Should you wish for me to release information to a third party, please sign the "Release of PHI (Private Health Information)" form, which is in the new patient document section of the website. We
can also give you one at the office, if you would prefer.
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