Frequently asked questions:
Where are you located?
Our office is conveniently located in Squirrel Hill @ 1655 Shady Avenue. Paid Pittsburgh city street parking is available. The office is ADA accessible. Telehealth is available for most clinical encounters.
Do you take insurance?
We take most UPMC, Aetna, and Highmark/BCBS commercial health plan products. We do not take Medicare or Medicaid products, including UPMC For You and For Life. If you do not have UPMC or Highmark commercial health insurance, your insurance may include an ‘out of network’ benefit. We will provide you with the detailed receipt required to get reimbursed for sessions, though it will be up to you to seek reimbursement. Payment is due at the time of visit, if applicable.
How do I get in touch with you?
Please see the “New Patient” page to fill out an intake package and initiate a booking request. For established patients, we primarily communicate through the PracticeQ patient portal. This allows us to exchange messages and files in a HIPPA compliant platform. You can access this portal on the “Established Patients” page. We have an office number (412-212-6637) but we are often with patients so cannot always answer in real time. We typically respond to patient messages or voicemails within 2 business days.
In the event of an emergency, go to the nearest emergency room or call an emergency crisis service: 911, 1-800-273-TALK (24/7 National Hotline), or 888-796-8226 (Re:solve Crisis Center). Please do not wait for me to return your message before taking appropriate action.
How do you approach controlled substances?
Every patient is different. Nuanced and careful diagnosis and treatment, honed over multiple visits, are foundational components of good care. As a general practice, we do not prescribe medical marijuana. We seldom prescribe benzodiazepines and do not prescribe high dose benzodiazepine regimens, though on a case by case basis we can assist with tapers (stopping benzodiazepines over time). I do prescribe oral buprenorphine-naloxone for opioid use disorder as indicated. We do prescribe stimulants for ADHD but may require additional information before initiating a prescription (speaking with family and/or friends, records from childhood, neuropsychological testing as indicated). We do not generally prescribe controlled substances during our initial consultation period.
What is your cancellation policy?
There is no cancellation fee if you cancel/change your appointment with 48 hours notice. If you cancel/change with 48 hours notice, the fee is $250 for a new patient visit and $150 for a follow up visit. If you “no-show” a visit, you will be charged the full out of network/cash price for the visit ($400 for a new patient visit, $200 for a follow up visit). Please note insurance plans do not reimburse for no show/cancellation fees and you will be directly charged via your credit card on file.
Are there any additional fees for care?
-Refill requests: Please give us a 2 business day notice for refill requests. Same day requests will incur a $30 fee.
-Medical record preparation: $30
-Phone calls, forms, reports, and other paperwork that require more than 5 minutes to complete outside of our appointment times will be billed at our prorated hourly rate of $300/hr