Getting Started

Initial Phone Consultation

Learn more about Choice Point Counseling’s Psychotherapy Policies and Fees. Dr. Lorraine Wong & Associates offer a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your reasons for seeking therapy and to determine whether they have the resources to meet your needs.

Meeting Format

The first few sessions will focus on getting to know you, gathering information about your current problems and concerns, and discussing goals for therapy. By the end of the evaluation, a specialized treatment plan that addresses your therapy goals will be developed and discussed. This process also provides an opportunity for you and the therapist to decide if you are a good match and if moving forward together is the right decision. Click here to Learn more about Choice Point Counseling’s approach to therapy.

Video Appointments

In some cases, it may be clinically indicated that services should be provided via video. Choice Point Counseling can provide this service to clients located in California or Maine. They use a HIPAA-compliant video service to ensure your privacy is protected. Please note that licensing restrictions require clients to be physically located within the state of California or Maine to receive video services.

Psychotherapy Fees

$400 for a 50-minute session. There are a limited number of sliding-scale slots. Fees for assessment and psychotherapy sessions vary based on the type and length of the appointment.

Payments and Cancellation Policies

Currently, Choice Point Counseling accepts c credit cards for payment. Due to the limited nature of appointments, clients will be charged the full fee for sessions canceled with less than 48 hours notice.

Insurance

Due to the small size of the practice, Choice Point Counseling does not accept any insurance plans. They are an “out-of-network” provider, meaning your insurance company may reimburse you directly for some of the fees paid. Choice Point Counseling can provide a monthly invoice for you to submit to your insurance carrier. However, clients are responsible for full payment of fees. If you intend to use your insurance for reimbursement, please consult with your insurance carrier before starting services to ask about “out-of-network” benefits.

Medicare Policies

Choice Point Counseling has opted out of Medicare under §§1128, 1156, or 1892 of the Social Security Act. If you are eligible for Medicare but choose to work with Dr. Wong & Associates, you will need to complete the Opt-Out Private Contract. Signing this contract indicates that you or your legal guardian will be solely responsible for all treatment costs.

No Surprise Act: Your Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills

MEDICAL BILLS

(OMB Control Number: 0938-1401)

You are protected from surprise billing or balance billing when you receive emergency care or are treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center.

What is balance billing? (sometimes called “surprise billing”)

When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs,     such as copayments, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or must pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a healthcare facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.

“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities without a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit.

“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care – like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider.

You are protected from balance billing for:

  • Emergency services: If you receive emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, you can only be billed for your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount, like copayments or coinsurance. You cannot be balance billed for these services.

  • Certain services at in-network facilities: When receiving care at an in-network hospital or surgical center, certain out-of-network providers cannot balance bill you unless you give written consent. This includes emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory services, and more.

Your protections include:

  • You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles).

  • Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers directly.

  • Emergency services do not require prior authorization and will be covered even if the provider is out-of-network.

  • Emergency services or out-of-network care costs will count toward your in-network deductible and out-of-pocket limits.

If you believe you have been wrongly billed, you may contact the California Department of Insurance for further assistance.