UNDERSTANDING THE THERAPY JOURNEY AT RESOLUTION COUNSELING CENTER
Starting therapy is a commitment to yourself and your wellness, and we understand that it can feel daunting. At Resolution Counseling Center (RCC), we aim to make this journey as smooth as possible by explaining what you can expect and providing answers to your frequently asked questions.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
1
How do I book a first appointment?
Getting started with us is straightforward. Visit our Team Page, explore therapist bios, and click the “Book Now” button found under each clinician accepting new clients. This will show their available weekly sessions. Select a therapist and time slot that suits you, and follow the simple prompts to secure your appointment. If your preferred therapist is fully booked, the “Join Waitlist” option allows you to express interest in future openings.
2
Is therapy expensive?
Costs vary according to your insurance. Many of our clients pay $0-35 per session based on their copays, coinsurance, or deductibles. Our Client Engagement Team will verify your insurance details, check coverage, and provide a cost estimate for you to approve before your first session. We also recommend contacting your insurance provider directly to confirm your coverage.
3
Do you take my insurance?
Resolution Counseling Center is in-network with a wide range of insurance plans including Aetna, Meritain, UMR, Continental, Cigna, Horizon, BCBS, Anthem, Empire, United Healthcare, Optum, Oxford, Medicare, Oscar, and 1199. We offer out-of-network claim submissions for plans like GHI and Amerihealth. Please note, we do not accept NJ Family Care, Medicaid, or Tricare Plans but can offer private pay services.
4
How do I start an additional service like couples therapy or therapy for my child?
For existing clients seeking additional services (like adding on couples therapy or finding a counselor for your child or teen):
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Ask your current therapist for personalized recommendations and seamless coordination for your second service.
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Contact our office at 201-632-5554 for assistance in choosing a new provider and setting up appointments.
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Use our New Client Portal to see who is taking new clients and request an appointment with a new provider.
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Are your consent forms online?
Stay informed with our latest practices and policies by reviewing our updated 2024 consent form.
Explore More FAQs
For more detailed information, click on the categories below and expand questions to find comprehensive answers designed to make your therapy experience as clear and supportive as possible.
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We think psychotherapy services should be accessible to everyone. We offer appointments 7 days a week with daytime, evening, and weekend options. You can participate in sessions via telehealth or in-person. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about getting started.
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When are appointments available?We have a large team of therapists and are able to offer appointments seven days a week from 7AM to 8PM. You can see any therapist’s weekly schedule in their bio on our Team Page. Click the “Book Now” button under their name to see which weekly session times they have open now for new clients. For more detailed help, email your specific appointment time needs to office@resolutioncc.com.
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How long are sessions?Sessions are 50 minutes long. Aetna insurance plans cover extended 90 minute sessions for couples as well.
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What should I consider when selecting a therapist?Our therapists come from a variety of backgrounds and offer many specialties. Start on our Team Page and use our filtering search tool to look for a therapist who is accepting new clients and has the specialities you need (e.g. anxiety, relationship issues, post-partum, addiction, etc). You can “meet” each therapist by watching their intro video and reading their bio. You’ll know the right therapist when you see them! If you want insider tips, contact our office team to ask our admin team which therapist they’d recommend for your specific therapy goals.
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What is your attendance policy?This section is important for all clients to read so you can make an informed choice about agreeing to our strict attendance policy before starting therapy at Resolution Counseling. Part of our mission is to provide affordable, in-network therapy to the communities we serve. In order for this to be sustainable in a high-cost area like northern New Jersey, we hold our clients to high standards –asking for early arrival and regular use of standing appointments. We have the following conservative policies in place to protect our ability to provide accessible, affordable care for years to come. We thank you in advance for your cooperation. Our Services: At RCC, we offer 53-55 minute sessions. Clients thus need to book appointments at a time when they can arrive 5 min early and remain present and engaged for 53-55 minutes. This matters for two very important reasons. First, your therapist sets aside a full hour for your care to leave time to write their note at the end. If you run a few minutes, your clinician will not be able to adequately complete their note and transition to their next appointment. We want to start on time with all of our clients. Secondly, insurance reimbursement for psychotherapy services is time-based, so if you arrive late or leave early, your carrier will not pay the typical fee for your care and your provider will be negatively affected. We thus require clients to honor the full session time they have reserved with their clinician. Expectation of Early Arrival: We ask clients to arrive 5 minutes early to their appointments. We ask clients to be present in the waiting room either in person or online 5 minutes before the start of their appointment. Your therapist will join you at your scheduled appointment start time. Running Late: If you are not able to arrive early and be ready at the start of your session more than a couple of times, your clinician may not be able to work with you and will need to transfer you to another practice. Your therapist prepares and is ready to start on time for all of their clients and we ask the same of you. If you have not arrived within the first 5 minutes, we cannot provide a service that day and will need to charge a $75 late cancellation fee. See “Late Fee” section below for more information. Use of Standing Appointment Times: Our standing appointment times are reserved for clients who are prepared to make use of every appointment with rare exceptions. If you have a habit of canceling your appointment and cannot reschedule, your clinician may suggest biweekly sessions or remove you from your standing time and offer ad hoc scheduling options. If a client cancels two (2) consecutive appointments (even with appropriate notice), and does not attend a session meanwhile, your therapist may remove you from your standing appointment time and offer that session time to other clients who can attend regularly. For example, two consecutive cancellations could occur because of an extended holiday trip, or a new after-school program. Before changes are made to your recurring appointment, your therapist will make efforts to reach you via text, phone call, email, or Simple Practice messaging to offer options & plan together. If you move to ad hoc scheduling options, you can still continue in regular therapy. You can use our portal to request any opening in your therapist’s schedule week by week or can discuss another suitable recurring appointment with your provider if they have one available. Regular Attendance: We require clients to attend a session at least once a month to remain active at RCC. While most clients benefit from weekly care to begin, some may drop down to biweekly or ad hoc care as treatment progresses into maintenance mode. A touchpoint at least monthly is a requirement so your therapist can remain confident that you are safe and also engaged in the work. Cancellation should be infrequent: Therapy is similar to medical or dental services in that we are not on salary. Rather, we receive reimbursement only for services provided. Thus, while we will not charge a fee for sessions canceled before 5pm the night before, your therapist is still unlikely to fill your appointment time on short notice and thus will not receive their expected fee. Please be considerate and communicate several days ahead for planned, infrequent cancellations. CANCELLATION POLICY AND LATE CANCELLATION FEES Our late cancellation fee is $75. Appointments must be canceled before 5:00 p.m. of the evening before the appointment to avoid our fee. How to cancel: Via the text reminders that come 48 hours ahead Notify your clinician via text or client portal message Up to 24 before a session, cancel and reschedule here: https://resolutioncounseling.clientsecure.me/sign-in The following situations will trigger the fee: If you cancel your appointment after 5 p.m. the evening before your scheduled session, you will be charged the fee. If you are not able to start your appointment within the first 5 minutes of the scheduled start time, then we cannot provide a service that day and you will be charged the fee. If you are not able to participate in telehealth sessions from a safe, private, and therapeutically conducive space, then your clinician cannot provide a service and will charge the fee. Examples include: Driving during a telehealth session Arriving under the influence of drugs or alcohol Attending from a location where your session could be overheard by others Attending while located in a state or country where your therapist is not licensed Exceptions for Running Late: We understand that life happens so each client receives two opportunities to run a little later than 5 min. If you are running late but can attend at least a 40 min session during the scheduled time, we will provide an abbreviated session twice. After those 2 exceptions are exhausted, your clinician will charge the late fee if you have not arrived within 5 minutes of your scheduled start time. Repeatedly Late: If you incur the late fee more than a few times, your clinician may not be able to work with you and will need to transfer you to another practice. In all of the scenarios above, Resolution Counseling Center (RCC) will charge the late fee using the card you have placed on file. Why Is There A Late Cancellation Fee? Good question! We do not double or triple-book our sessions as many physicians or dental offices do, and thus when you schedule an appointment, you are reserving a specific appointment time with your therapist. Your therapist has set aside an hour for your care, has prepared in advance for the session, and is ready and waiting to work with you at your appointment time. If you cancel the night before or on the same day or simply do not attend, your therapist cannot bill your insurance for a service nor can they usually rebook the time, and thus they would be uncompensated. For this reason, nearly every therapy practice has a policy on late cancellation and charges a fee. It is common for practices to collect the entire lost fee for cancellations within 24 or even 48 hours of the appointment. We want to allow room for unexpected issues to arise for clients. We also want our therapists to earn a good living and be happy in their career for years to come. Thus we feel confident maintaining a deadline of 5pm the night before and charging a fee of $75 for late cancellations.
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Do you have a cancellation policy? If so, what is it?Our late cancellation fee is $75. Appointments must be canceled before 5:00 p.m. of the evening before the appointment to avoid our fee. How to cancel: Via the text reminders that come 48 hours ahead Notify your clinician via text or client portal message Up to 24 before a session, cancel and reschedule here: https://resolutioncounseling.clientsecure.me/sign-in The following situations will trigger the fee: If you cancel your appointment after 5 p.m. the evening before your scheduled session, you will be charged the fee. If you are not able to start your appointment within the first 5 minutes of the scheduled start time, then we cannot provide a service that day and you will be charged the fee. If you are not able to participate in telehealth sessions from a safe, private, and therapeutically conducive space, then your clinician cannot provide a service and will charge the fee. Examples include: Driving during a telehealth session Arriving under the influence of drugs or alcohol Attending from a location where your session could be overheard by others Attending while located in a state or country where your therapist is not licensed Exceptions for Running Late: We understand that life happens so each client receives two opportunities to run a little later than 5 min. If you are running late but can attend at least a 40 min session during the scheduled time, we will provide an abbreviated session twice. After those 2 exceptions are exhausted, your clinician will charge the late fee if you have not arrived within 5 minutes of your scheduled start time. Repeatedly Late: If you incur the late fee more than a few times, your clinician may not be able to work with you and will need to transfer you to another practice. In all of the scenarios above, Resolution Counseling Center (RCC) will charge the late fee using the card you have placed on file. Why Is There A Late Cancellation Fee? Good question! We do not double or triple-book our sessions as many physicians or dental offices do, and thus when you schedule an appointment, you are reserving a specific appointment time with your therapist. Your therapist has set aside an hour for your care, has prepared in advance for the session, and is ready and waiting to work with you at your appointment time. If you cancel the night before or on the same day or simply do not attend, your therapist cannot bill your insurance for a service nor can they usually rebook the time, and thus they would be uncompensated. For this reason, nearly every therapy practice has a policy on late cancellation and charges a fee. It is common for practices to collect the entire lost fee for cancellations within 24 or even 48 hours of the appointment. We want to allow room for unexpected issues to arise for clients. We also want our therapists to earn a good living and be happy in their career for years to come. Thus we feel confident maintaining a deadline of 5pm the night before and charging a fee of $75 for late cancellations. RESPONSIBILITY FOR FEES AND CREDIT CARD TRANSACTION AGREEMENT Clients who begin care at RCC are agreeing to be ultimately responsible for the cost of their services. If you use insurance, your coverage and benefits will be applied according to your policy, and you agree to pay the patient responsibility as determined by your insurance carrier. If your insurance coverage terminates or changes, you agree to pay our private fees (currently $150 per session and $225 per 90-minute couples sessions). You agree to keep a working credit card on file at all times and you are giving permission for RCC to charge any of the card(s) you have placed on file to resolve any balances you may accumulate, including: late cancellation fees, patient responsibility as determined by your insurance company, or any unpaid invoices resulting from the termination of insurance coverage. You understand that you may terminate this agreement in writing by emailing office@resolutioncc.com at any time but such termination will not pertain to prior fees already incurred under this agreement.
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I'd like a consultation first. How can I set that up?We can schedule a 10 minute consultation call if you want to meet your prospective therapist first and ask a bit about their training or background. Call our office at (201) 632-5554 to set up a time with your chosen therapist. We recommend that you also request an appointment with the therapist meanwhile, as the weekly time you wanted will likely be gone by the time you have a consultation.
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Is my appointment confirmed once I book it online?No. Once you book an appointment online, it is requested and reserved, no one else can book it, but it is not confirmed. See below for the steps to get a confirmed appointment.
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What steps occur before my appointment request is confirmed?After we receive your appointment request, there are 2 more steps: Complete your intake forms. Watch for an email from us within 1 business day or just log into our portal once we’ve sent the email. Approve your cost estimate email. We will email you a cost estimate once we’ve checked your insurance coverage. You must reply all stating your approval of the estimate, then we’ll confirm your appointment. Insider Tip: Please be prompt on your side: It usually takes 1-3 business days from appointment request to confirmation even when your steps are completed in a timely manner.
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When will my first appointment request be confirmed?It takes 2–3 business days for us to receive your intake forms, check your insurance coverage, email you a cost estimate email, and process your response. Once onboarding is complete, you’ll receive an appointment confirmation text and email from us.
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Why was my appointment request declined?Your request may have been declined for a variety of reasons. The 2 most likely reasons are that we had nudged you a few times to finish your forms in the portal or that we did not receive your cost-estimate approval. If you’d like to request a different weekly appointment time with your therapist, please log into the portal or call or text us for assistance.
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I was told there are available appts but it looks like you’re booked until the end of the year.This is not the case–we almost always have some openings. What you are seeing in the new client portal is the result of a human time lag. If a clinician’s name appears in the new client portal list but their last open appointment gets requested before our admin team can update their status, then you will be able to open their calendar but there will not be any open appointments. We update our availability daily but openings go very quickly. Please go back to the Team Page and try a different therapist’s calendar–you will find available appointments. We believe you will find a therapist and appointment time that works for you.
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My desired therapist is running a waitlist—how long is the wait?The waitlist can vary from 1–2 weeks to 6–12 months depending on the clinician. You are welcome to email or text our office to inquire about the length of a particular clinician’s waitlist and the chance of getting in. Our strong recommendation is for you to add yourself to the waitlist but also request an appointment with a clinician who does have current openings.
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How will I be notified when there are waitlist openings?We email our waitlist twice a week with updates about which clinicians have new openings. Be sure to save our email (office@resoutioncc.com) in your favorites so it doesn’t go to spam. If you don’t want to wait to see a therapist, you should also request an appointment with a clinician who does have current openings. You can also continue to check the Team Page every week to see if anyone new has “Book Now” below their name and request an appointment time if someone looks right. Please note: the only way to get off the waitlist is to visit our Team Page and book your first appointment. Joining the waitlist just means agreeing to be notified about available therapists and appointments.
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Cost should not be a barrier to your well-being. We are proud to be in-network with several insurances. We believe in billing transparency and will go the extra mile to provide up-front cost estimates and resolve any billing issues along the way.
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How can I confirm that sessions at RCC are “in-network” and covered by my insurance?Look at your insurance card and call the number for “mental health/substance abuse” or “behavioral health” or just “member services”. Ask your insurance rep to confirm our in-network status. Please be aware that each insurance company contracts with group practices differently. Ask them to look up “Resolution Counseling Center” but if that doesn’t work, try “Melissa Schneider, LCSW” (our practice owner and group billing entity). Learn more here: How to Check Your In-Network Coverage.
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My insurance has changed, how do I inform RCC?Please inform RCC as soon as your insurance changes so we can check your coverage and get your approval of any changes to your patient responsibility or out of pocket costs. Please follow these steps: Sign into the portal Navigate to the Documents tab Look for the Upload Files option in blue at the bottom Upload a picture of the front and back of your card Email billing@resolutioncc.com to let us know you added a new insurance card to your profile and to request that we check your new benefits
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What does "in network" mean?Each insurance plan has its own network of providers. These providers participate in a lengthy credentialing process to join the “network” and agree to a “contracted rate” for their services. Once providers are “in-network” with a particular plan, it means you can use your “in-network coverage” to see them and you will pay your part of this “contracted rate” –meaning you pay a lower fee. Usually you will owe a copay or coinsurance ($5-$35 on average), but even if you are meeting a deductible and paying the full fee for a portion of time, you are paying that lower set fee for in-network providers. To check the details of your own in-network coverage, use our How to Check Your In-Network Benefits tip sheet.
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What does "out of network" mean?See above for an explanation of “in-network.” By contrast, when a provider is “out of network,” it means they have not gone through the credentialing process for that insurance company and have not agreed on a contracted rate. This means the average fee will be higher. In addition, you are not able to use your “in-network coverage” to see that provider, but have to use your “out-of-network” coverage. This coverage has its own totally separate deductible to meet first and then usually a coinsurance after that. For example, many people have a $3000 out-of-network deductible then a 20% coinsurance. So if therapy sessions cost $150, for example, you will pay the full fee for 20 sessions and will pay $30 a session for the remainder of your 12-month plan year. Your deductible renews every 12 months. To check the details of your own out of network coverage, use our How to Check Your Out of Network Benefits tip sheet.
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What if I don’t have insurance?If you do not have insurance coverage, our private pay rate is: $150 for 55 minute sessions We do not offer a reduced fee or sliding scale at this time.
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What payment methods do you accept?We accept credit and debit cards along with cards from your workplace’s Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA). When you onboard with our practice, you will receive access to our client portal and can securely add the card(s) of your choice. Our staff cannot see your credit card information. All client copays are collected on the day of the session via Stripe (our credit card processing service).
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Would I be responsible for my session fees if my insurance denies my claims, my coverage ends, or the costs are different from your original cost estimate?Yes. RCC charges a fee for therapy sessions and many clients choose to use their health insurance to cover that fee. But ultimately the client is responsible for the fee if insurance does not pay. Otherwise your therapist would not receive a fee for the services they provided in good faith. We care a lot about billing transparency. We work very hard to provide a detailed cost estimate up front, to contact clients as soon as we are aware of any billing issues, and we have worked out payment plans and helped clients advocate for themselves when coverage turns out to be different than they originally expected. We wish the insurance system was more straightforward and we are your advocate. But we are also just the middleman. Our consent forms clarify your ultimate responsibility for your therapy fees in the section called “Responsibility for Fee and Credit Card Transaction Agreement”: see next question for that wording.
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What is the wording of the “Responsibility for Fee and Credit Card Transaction Agreement” in your consent forms?You can find a copy of that wording here. After you have started therapy, the full Informed Consent and Practice Policies is available within your profile on Simple Practice.
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My insurance says I'm fully covered. What's the difference between "fully covered" and free therapy?“Fully covered” means that psychotherapy sessions are a “covered” service with your insurance plan and thus you can use your in-network insurance to see your therapist. “Fully covered” does not mean zero cost. It simply means the service is not “uncovered” – in which case you would pay the full fee out-of-pocket.
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We understand: schedules change and life happens. We want to make it easy for you to manage appointments and maintain momentum in therapy so you can make progress.
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How can I schedule an appointment with my therapist?Current clients can book appointments anytime in our portal: Click here to access our client portal Enter the email on file and click “email me a link” Go to that inbox and your portal link will be at the top Once in the portal, choose “request an appointment” and choose your therapists’ name from the list Request an open time that works for you and the office will confirm within a business day
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What is your attendance policy?This section is important for all clients to read so you can make an informed choice about agreeing to our strict attendance policy before starting therapy at Resolution Counseling. Part of our mission is to provide affordable, in-network therapy to the communities we serve. In order for this to be sustainable in a high-cost area like northern New Jersey, we hold our clients to high standards –asking for early arrival and regular use of standing appointments. We have the following conservative policies in place to protect our ability to provide accessible, affordable care for years to come. We thank you in advance for your cooperation. Our Services: At RCC, we offer 53-55 minute sessions. Clients thus need to book appointments at a time when they can arrive 5 min early and remain present and engaged for 53-55 minutes. This matters for two very important reasons. First, your therapist sets aside a full hour for your care to leave time to write their note at the end. If you run a few minutes, your clinician will not be able to adequately complete their note and transition to their next appointment. We want to start on time with all of our clients. Secondly, insurance reimbursement for psychotherapy services is time-based, so if you arrive late or leave early, your carrier will not pay the typical fee for your care and your provider will be negatively affected. We thus require clients to honor the full session time they have reserved with their clinician. Expectation of Early Arrival: We ask clients to arrive 5 minutes early to their appointments. We ask clients to be present in the waiting room either in person or online 5 minutes before the start of their appointment. Your therapist will join you at your scheduled appointment start time. Running Late: If you are not able to arrive early and be ready at the start of your session more than a couple of times, your clinician may not be able to work with you and will need to transfer you to another practice. Your therapist prepares and is ready to start on time for all of their clients and we ask the same of you. If you have not arrived within the first 5 minutes, we cannot provide a service that day and will need to charge a $75 late cancellation fee. See “Late Fee” section below for more information. Use of Standing Appointment Times: Our standing appointment times are reserved for clients who are prepared to make use of every appointment with rare exceptions. If you have a habit of canceling your appointment and cannot reschedule, your clinician may suggest biweekly sessions or remove you from your standing time and offer ad hoc scheduling options. If a client cancels two (2) consecutive appointments (even with appropriate notice), and does not attend a session meanwhile, your therapist may remove you from your standing appointment time and offer that session time to other clients who can attend regularly. For example, two consecutive cancellations could occur because of an extended holiday trip, or a new after-school program. Before changes are made to your recurring appointment, your therapist will make efforts to reach you via text, phone call, email, or Simple Practice messaging to offer options & plan together. If you move to ad hoc scheduling options, you can still continue in regular therapy. You can use our portal to request any opening in your therapist’s schedule week by week or can discuss another suitable recurring appointment with your provider if they have one available. Regular Attendance: We require clients to attend a session at least once a month to remain active at RCC. While most clients benefit from weekly care to begin, some may drop down to biweekly or ad hoc care as treatment progresses into maintenance mode. A touchpoint at least monthly is a requirement so your therapist can remain confident that you are safe and also engaged in the work. Cancellation should be infrequent: Therapy is similar to medical or dental services in that we are not on salary. Rather, we receive reimbursement only for services provided. Thus, while we will not charge a fee for sessions canceled before 5pm the night before, your therapist is still unlikely to fill your appointment time on short notice and thus will not receive their expected fee. Please be considerate and communicate several days ahead for planned, infrequent cancellations. CANCELLATION POLICY AND LATE CANCELLATION FEES Our late cancellation fee is $75. Appointments must be canceled before 5:00 p.m. of the evening before the appointment to avoid our fee. How to cancel: Via the text reminders that come 48 hours ahead Notify your clinician via text or client portal message Up to 24 before a session, cancel and reschedule here: https://resolutioncounseling.clientsecure.me/sign-in The following situations will trigger the fee: If you cancel your appointment after 5 p.m. the evening before your scheduled session, you will be charged the fee. If you are not able to start your appointment within the first 5 minutes of the scheduled start time, then we cannot provide a service that day and you will be charged the fee. If you are not able to participate in telehealth sessions from a safe, private, and therapeutically conducive space, then your clinician cannot provide a service and will charge the fee. Examples include: Driving during a telehealth session Arriving under the influence of drugs or alcohol Attending from a location where your session could be overheard by others Attending while located in a state or country where your therapist is not licensed Exceptions for Running Late: We understand that life happens so each client receives two opportunities to run a little later than 5 min. If you are running late but can attend at least a 40 min session during the scheduled time, we will provide an abbreviated session twice. After those 2 exceptions are exhausted, your clinician will charge the late fee if you have not arrived within 5 minutes of your scheduled start time. Repeatedly Late: If you incur the late fee more than a few times, your clinician may not be able to work with you and will need to transfer you to another practice. In all of the scenarios above, Resolution Counseling Center (RCC) will charge the late fee using the card you have placed on file. Why Is There A Late Cancellation Fee? Good question! We do not double or triple-book our sessions as many physicians or dental offices do, and thus when you schedule an appointment, you are reserving a specific appointment time with your therapist. Your therapist has set aside an hour for your care, has prepared in advance for the session, and is ready and waiting to work with you at your appointment time. If you cancel the night before or on the same day or simply do not attend, your therapist cannot bill your insurance for a service nor can they usually rebook the time, and thus they would be uncompensated. For this reason, nearly every therapy practice has a policy on late cancellation and charges a fee. It is common for practices to collect the entire lost fee for cancellations within 24 or even 48 hours of the appointment. We want to allow room for unexpected issues to arise for clients. We also want our therapists to earn a good living and be happy in their career for years to come. Thus we feel confident maintaining a deadline of 5pm the night before and charging a fee of $75 for late cancellations.
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Do you have a cancellation policy? If so, what is it?Our late cancellation fee is $75. Appointments must be canceled before 5:00 p.m. of the evening before the appointment to avoid our fee. How to cancel: Via the text reminders that come 48 hours ahead Notify your clinician via text or client portal message Up to 24 before a session, cancel and reschedule here: https://resolutioncounseling.clientsecure.me/sign-in The following situations will trigger the fee: If you cancel your appointment after 5 p.m. the evening before your scheduled session, you will be charged the fee. If you are not able to start your appointment within the first 5 minutes of the scheduled start time, then we cannot provide a service that day and you will be charged the fee. If you are not able to participate in telehealth sessions from a safe, private, and therapeutically conducive space, then your clinician cannot provide a service and will charge the fee. Examples include: Driving during a telehealth session Arriving under the influence of drugs or alcohol Attending from a location where your session could be overheard by others Attending while located in a state or country where your therapist is not licensed Exceptions for Running Late: We understand that life happens so each client receives two opportunities to run a little later than 5 min. If you are running late but can attend at least a 40 min session during the scheduled time, we will provide an abbreviated session twice. After those 2 exceptions are exhausted, your clinician will charge the late fee if you have not arrived within 5 minutes of your scheduled start time. Repeatedly Late: If you incur the late fee more than a few times, your clinician may not be able to work with you and will need to transfer you to another practice. In all of the scenarios above, Resolution Counseling Center (RCC) will charge the late fee using the card you have placed on file. Why Is There A Late Cancellation Fee? Good question! We do not double or triple-book our sessions as many physicians or dental offices do, and thus when you schedule an appointment, you are reserving a specific appointment time with your therapist. Your therapist has set aside an hour for your care, has prepared in advance for the session, and is ready and waiting to work with you at your appointment time. If you cancel the night before or on the same day or simply do not attend, your therapist cannot bill your insurance for a service nor can they usually rebook the time, and thus they would be uncompensated. For this reason, nearly every therapy practice has a policy on late cancellation and charges a fee. It is common for practices to collect the entire lost fee for cancellations within 24 or even 48 hours of the appointment. We want to allow room for unexpected issues to arise for clients. We also want our therapists to earn a good living and be happy in their career for years to come. Thus we feel confident maintaining a deadline of 5pm the night before and charging a fee of $75 for late cancellations. RESPONSIBILITY FOR FEES AND CREDIT CARD TRANSACTION AGREEMENT Clients who begin care at RCC are agreeing to be ultimately responsible for the cost of their services. If you use insurance, your coverage and benefits will be applied according to your policy, and you agree to pay the patient responsibility as determined by your insurance carrier. If your insurance coverage terminates or changes, you agree to pay our private fees (currently $150 per session and $225 per 90-minute couples sessions). You agree to keep a working credit card on file at all times and you are giving permission for RCC to charge any of the card(s) you have placed on file to resolve any balances you may accumulate, including: late cancellation fees, patient responsibility as determined by your insurance company, or any unpaid invoices resulting from the termination of insurance coverage. You understand that you may terminate this agreement in writing by emailing office@resolutioncc.com at any time but such termination will not pertain to prior fees already incurred under this agreement.
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What is the best way to cancel an appointment?Don’t forget to cancel by 5pm the night before to avoid a $75 late fee. You have 4 options to cancel an upcoming appointment: Up to 24 hours in advance, you can manage upcoming appointments, cancel, and reschedule in our client portal Up to 24 hours in advance you can cancel via the cancel link in our text message reminders Message your therapist directly in our client portal to cancel and reschedule Text your name and appointment time to our office at 201-632-5554 with a request to cancel or reschedule
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How can I contact my therapist to cancel and reschedule?You can message securely with your therapist via our portal: Sign into the portal and choose a profile if you have more than 1 Click the conversation bubble at the top of the page to message your therapist They will receive your message like a text on their phone—our client management app alerts them You will get an email when they reply with a quick link that lets you bypass the login process Please note that our online booking will prompt you to call the office regarding appointments in the next 48 hours but you can message your therapist directly as well
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Why is there a cancellation fee?Cancellations policies and fees are standard in the psychotherapy industry because your therapist is not double-booking session times like medical doctors do. Thus when you schedule an appointment, you are reserving a specific 50 or 90 minute time with your therapist. Your therapist has set aside that time to work with you, has prepared in advance for the session, and is ready and waiting to work with you at a specific time. If you do not attend, your therapist cannot bill your insurance for the time you reserved and cannot offer the time to another client, and thus would be uncompensated without the cancellation fee. We want to note that many therapy practices charge the entire fee ($125 or more) for late cancellations. We want the fee to be reasonable for clients with varying financial circumstances and thus have set our fee at a middle-ground rate of $75.
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Can I see my counselor twice on the same day? Can I attend a group at RCC and have an individual session on the same day?No. At least not if you want to use your insurance. Insurance will deny a second claim on the same day. Clients CAN attend multiple sessions in a week, just not in a single day. The important thing is the name that will go on the claim. So if a mother and a child are on the same insurance policy, mom can have a session on Mondays and so can the child. But mom cannot have two sessions on Mondays. For example: mom cannot attend group therapy on the same day she sees her individual therapist or insurance will deny the second claim.
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50 minutes is too short. Can I use my insurance for an extended session?We do not offer extended sessions for individuals, but do offer 90 minute sessions for couples or families. Our private fee for 90 minute sessions is $225. Notably, Aetna is one insurance plan that currently covers 90 minute sessions. If you have Aetna and want to see your couples or family therapist for an extended session, you would pay your normal copay or coinsurance and Aetna will cover the remainder of the higher fee for the extended session. Ask your therapist to book an extended session. Otherwise, consider booking two appointments a week rather than an extended session.
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I don't want a recurring weekly appt, I want a biweekly appt. Why can't I request that?We require all new clients to start off with a weekly appointment for the first month. Once your therapist has gotten to know you and has completed the assessment portion of psychotherapy (“assessment” means completing an intake, forming a diagnostic impression, and creating a treatment plan), then they will be able to determine if biweekly sessions are appropriate for your care. Depending on your therapy goals, and your safety level, we may not recommend biweekly sessions. But for many clients and many therapy goals, biweekly sessions are possible after the first month.
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Why am I scheduled until next year?Because we make our therapist’s live calendar available to their clients, the only way to reserve your weekly time slot is to have a weekly recurring appointment scheduled at that time. You can cancel sessions with appropriate notice on any given week and whenever you end therapy, your future sessions will be canceled with no charge to you.
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I’m moving to a different state—can I still work with my therapist via telehealth?Probably not. Your therapist would need to be licensed in the state you are moving to. You can confirm which state(s) your therapist is licensed in on our Team Page.
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What platform do you use for telehealth and why?We use a platform called SimplePractice. The system is HIPAA compliant and provides a secure platform for telehealth, online scheduling, clinician support, and billing management.
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How do I join a telehealth call?You will receive a telehealth link via our appointment reminders 10 minutes before your appointment, via email and text. If you’re joining from your phone, click the link and follow the prompts to download our free telehealth app.
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What do I do if I can’t login to my telehealth session?If you are struggling to join a telehealth call, know that your therapist will call, text, and/or email you within a few minutes of the start of the appointment and can re-share the link. You can also: Message your therapist directly in our client portal with a number to call you at Call our office at 201-632-5554 Text your name and therapists name to our office at 201-632-5554 asking for help getting in touch Please read our helpful Telehealth Guide for specific advice on joining a telehealth session on a laptop vs. a phone
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Working with insurance companies is often difficult and confusing. Our team is here to help.
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Why do I need to add a credit card on file?It is our policy to have a working credit/debit card on file for every client. You will not be charged until you attend an appointment after approving your cost estimate.
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Why did you charge my card on file instead of sending me a bill?We are committed to offering high quality, in-network therapy to our clients and to do that well for the 3500+ sessions we provide each month, we chose a client care platform with secure billing automations. These automations save you and our office staff time by providing secure payment collection after each session. Our policy is that clients must keep a working card on file at all times and must sign our consent documents giving permission for RCC to resolve the balances you may accumulate using the card(s) you have placed on file. Your balance can include late cancellation fees, your patient responsibility as determined by your insurance company, or fees for sessions that occurred after your insurance policy terminated. Clients can contact our billing team at any time to request to turn off automatic payments and can work out a payment plan directly. Start with an email to billing@resolutioncc.com.
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What do you do with my credit card information?We do not have access to your credit or debit card number or other card details. Our client management system uses a software called Stripe on the backend to collect and store your credit card data in a way that prevents our access to that information. The card you place securely on file will be used to collect your agreed-upon copay or patient responsibility.
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What billing documents can I access in the portal?Our secure client system creates three document types: invoices, statements, and insurance reimbursement statements. Invoices: each time you have a session, an invoice is created that day or the next and you are notified. Every time your insurance processes a claim, an “adjustment” invoice is created if patient responsibility differs from the original invoice. Any refund or credit issues will create an invoice. Statements: statements are a record of what balance you had, what payments you made, and how any existing credits were applied. Insurance reimbursement statements: this document is like a statement but is intended for you to send to your insurance company or HSA/FSA account provider to seek reimbursement for the out of pocket costs you have paid. Please note that these documents display more information than your statement, such as your diagnosis and rendering therapist’s name as that is required for reimbursement. On the 15th of each month, our system will automatically create your statement and Insurance Reimbursement Statement. All of these billing documents can be accessed in our secure client portal at any time.
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How do I access my billing documents in the portal?Billing documents can be accessed in our secure client portal at any time following these steps: Go to our client portal Enter the email address you put on file with us and click “send link” Go to that inbox, open the sign in email, and click the sign in link Once in the portal, if you have two profiles (e.g. couples therapy and individual), you'll see two profile circles, choose the one whose documents you want to see Then navigate to the Billing and Payments tab, scroll down, and you'll see 3 document types: called invoices, insurance reimbursement statements, account history You can click the drop down arrows to see the relevant documents Use the “Insurance Reimbursement Statement” if you are seeking compensation from insurance or your FSA/HSA account
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I have a deductible to meet and am paying the full session fee meanwhile. How long does it take for claims to be processed so I can see how much of my deductible is left?Claims processing time varies widely. Some plans process and pay in 3 business days. Others can take 30–60 days. If there are any issues that trigger a claims denial, resubmitting and waiting for claims to process can take 30–60 days as well. You should be able to see your live “accumulations” and what remains to pay on your deductible in the app or online portal provided by your insurance company. You can also contact your insurance company directly to inquire. Call the member services number on the back of your insurance card. If there is a number for behavioral health or mental health, call that number first.
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I don't understand the "billing adjustments" I see in my billing documents. How can I tell what I owe and what I don't?An “adjustment” invoice means that your insurance processed a claim or claims and determined your patient responsibility (i.e. your fee). Processed claims can come back to our system at any time, so the date of the document does not correspond to your session date. But you can open each document and see the corresponding session date. You are welcome to contact our billing department at billing@resolutioncc.com with your specific questions.
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My insurance says my copays are “waived” for telehealth. When will the waiver expire?98% of the pandemic-related telehealth cost-share waivers have expired already but a few plans are still waiving their client’s costs (e.g. waiving your copay or waiving your deductible). To determine the end date of your cost-share waiver, call the member services number on the back of your insurance card. If there is a number for behavioral health or mental health, call that number first.
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How often do billing issues come up and why do they happen?We hate billing surprises and we are committed to transparent billing. We always provide cost estimates up front and we work hard to alert clients to billing issues as soon as we are aware of them. Despite these efforts, 3–5% of our clients experience unexpected bills each year. RCC is the middleman and we can only provide the information that is available to us from your insurance carrier. Most of the time the online system or representative we consult gives us the correct benefits but sometimes they do not. Even if we properly communicate your benefits, surprisingly, not even your insurance company can guarantee your exact out of pocket costs until your claim is processed. Because your company can retroactively change your benefits at any time, your plan year can renew in an unexpected month, you could change jobs and not realize that your insurance is terminating on a specific date, and all of that can mean the initial benefit details no longer apply. Lastly, even if claims are processed and paid as we expected, your insurance can take back those payments at any time for a variety of reasons. All of this can create unexpected bills. We are just as outraged as our clients when these things happen–and we have a team of billing advocates that work hard to sort things out in your favor. But ultimately, your insurance carrier is the company that processes your claim and determines your actual patient responsibility (e.g. your fee). You are attending sessions at RCC using that insurance rather than paying privately, so we must collect your determined fee via the card you have put on file with us. The best way to avoid most surprises is to check the details of your own in-network coverage using our How to Check Your In-Network Benefits tip sheet.
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What if I don’t like my therapist?We believe that getting matched with a therapist you connect with is an important aspect of counseling. Therefore, it is totally ok to request to switch therapists. The best way to do this is….
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What Is A Treatment Team Model?RCC uses a treatment team approach to ensure the highest quality of care. Each therapist is part of a small team that participates in weekly case conferences led by a clinical supervisor. Clinical supervisors have the appropriate training to provide clinical supervision to their supervisees and particularly those who are working towards the highest level of clinical licensure. During our weekly case conferences, your case may be presented without the use of your name or identifying details so that you may benefit from the expertise of many clinicians as your therapist develops an effective treatment plan for you. Each therapist's degree, current license, and current supervisor is listed on our supervision list.
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How does couples counseling work?
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How does counseling work when a minor is involved?
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What if the second parent is not involved in my child's life? (Parent has sole custody)