Good morning, Anthony. I enjoyed your Private Practice Strategies article on administrative fees in the July edition of Counseling Today. I find that most clients do not read most documents presented to them at intake. I quit giving my HIPAA form…
popular
Hello, I saw the announcement for your Aug. 15th Webinar regarding private practice startups which I plan to attend. I am a new licensed graduate professional counselor (LGPC) in the state of Maryland under supervision, and I am putting together a part-time practice while still employed by an agency….
Dear Dr. Centore: I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice in WI and have a question regarding insurance reimbursement for what is termed “relationship issues.” For years, it has been my understanding that most insurance networks will cover couples counseling or family counseling if…
Do Counselors Need Life Coaching Certification? From Laura B.: I see that you are qualified to do counseling, but what are your coaching credentials? Thanks, Laura ———————— Answer: Dear Laura, Our opinion is that a life coach telling a licensed mental…
Online Counseling and Loan Forgiveness Question: I am working on my 4 year degree online. I am interested in preforming online therapy. Do you know how I can receive loan forgiveness for school and how this goal could work? Sincerely, Student from Colombia, South America Answer: Dear Aspiring Online Counselor,…
I enjoyed your article and agree with much of it, including the frustrations of finding a system that is both efficient and affordable. Just thought I’d take a minute and share what is working for me: My primary billing and insurance filing software package is MPMSoft, which has pricing and…
Counselor Fees Janet has a full roster of clients. She schedules 35 sessions a week, which means that she’s busy, but her workload is manageable and she feels well compensated for her efforts. However, lately Janet’s been receiving client requests that are leading her to work overtime. Three clients, who…
Of all the administrative requests clients can make, a request for clinical records is the most regulated when it comes to fees. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a covered entity can charge reasonable cost-based fees for providing medical records to patients (see 45 CFR 164.524(c)). In…
Electronic Health Records (EHR) and in Today’s Private Counseling Practice While some counselors today are reaching for their pens and notepads, others are reaching for their laptops. With the help of Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Practice Management (PM) software, counselors are trashing their metal filing cabinets and announcing that…
Should Counselors in Private Practice Specialize? A question I’m often asked by counselors is whether they should specialize. That is, should they focus their counseling practice in a specific area? It’s a hard question to answer, as even successful business people disagree. In this column, I’ll describe four ways that…
Forms For Private Counseling Practice I’m just starting a private practice and I’m looking for all the necessary forms to give my clients. Where should I look? Any other suggestions are welcome about…
Counselors are Doomed:Client Privacy and PHI in the Electronic Age Last week, my wife, daughter and I visited the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, in Washington, DC. In taking a history tour of U.S. presidents, an exhibit about Richard Nixon stood out. On display was a metal filing cabinet…
