This will be discussed and agreed upon on a case by case basis before the testing begins. Any report authorization is clearly stated in your contract, assessment policies/agreement, and/or record release form which require signature authorization.
The report is considered part of the client’s file. Client files for an adult are retained for 7 years. Client files for a minor are retained for at least three years past the age of majority (age 18), or seven years, whichever is longer.
Psychological and Neuropsychological reports typically are considered current for 3 years by State and National professional organizations. If the client is utilizing this report for accommodations or services, please check with the providing organization as each may have its own guidelines for the frequency of assessments.
Yes, if this is desired, discuss this with the psychologist at the feedback session so the alternative report can be created at the same time as the full report with no extra charge. Should you require an additional report after the full report has been issued and the assessment is complete please contact the front desk to discuss what specifically is needed and if
Some assessments have recommendations for therapy specialists depending on the diagnosis outcome. If your psychologist may be a good fit for a recommended therapy, discuss this with them in person or via email to discuss if they are taking on any new clients at this time.
Once the feedback session is complete, within a few business days you will receive a Diagnosis and Treatment Plan which is 1-3 pages long. This is a summary of the results as discussed in the feedback session and can be used immediately with schools, work or services applications. Within 4-6 weeks you will receive a full comprehensive report which is typically 30-40 pages long which will provide all of the details of the testing completed, conclusions & diagnoses, recommendations and resources.
What if I have questions or would like to talk more after my feedback session?
Assessments are driven by the scientific data determined by (descriptive words – certified, industry standard?) tests. The battery of tests for a client provides a collection of data which is then holistically interpreted by your psychologist who has the background of the client and is experienced in this field. As questions arise after the feedback session, we would love to answer them and provide background for any diagnoses which are provided in the report. If you still feel uncertain as to the outcome and would like a second opinion, the final report will provide the testing data which can be provided to another expert to review.
This is typically discussed in the initial session with the psychologist so we can accommodate your needs and include it in the scope of the contract. If this request should come after the contract is signed, please contact the front desk to discuss and make arrangements.
If your child is over 15 years old and you would like them to discuss the assessment findings with the psychologist, please let the front desk know in advance so we can arrange to divide the appointment between parents/caregivers and the client.
Testing can be mentally and physically draining for the client. A child may not be up for returning to school. For every appointment, touch in with the front desk on your way out to confirm your next testing appointment, or see if it is possible to make your feedback appointment if all data collection is complete.
We try to schedule all testing in the morning. Testing results tend to be better if administered during these hours and not after a draining school or work day. We can provide a school note for all appointments if required.
We will provide water for drinking, if you or your child’s testing session will be long enough to need a snack break you are welcome to bring a small snack.
This is a case specific decision, please discuss this with your psychologist in person or over secure email.
If your child is under the age of 12, or your child has special needs you will need to stay within the vicinity of the office should the child need to go to the bathroom or need assistance. We have a waiting room with wifi you are welcome to wait in, or there is a building breakroom that also has seating. You are also welcome to wait in your car or stay close enough that we can text should you be needed.
If your link is not working, contact our psychometrician or front desk to have them recreate and resend this for you.
Yes, the link to complete these forms will expire within 30 days, but all should be completed within 2 weeks of delivery. Testing/Data collection is not considered complete and the scheduling of the Feedback Session cannot occur until this collection is finished.
As testing can be emotionally draining we try to stick with one appointment per day, and have them fairly close to each other, ideally within the same week. If a client is closer to an adult, we can schedule testing in the morning
Each assessment will typically have anywhere from one to three testing appointments. How many and how long they are depend on the specific testing battery (group of tests) that has been tailored based upon the client.
No, the initial session is for the psychologist to discuss the client’s issues and get a full picture of what is going on. The full process of assessment and diagnosis can take around 2 months. If you or your child is in crisis, please discuss this with your psychologist who can assist with references to any emergency professionals which may be needed in the short term.
The total assessment process typically takes around 2 months, but that also depends on the current office load and appointment lead time. While we stay busy year round, the Fall season is our busiest so if your intent is to have an assessment complete before the end of the calendar year be sure to start the process and make appointments as early as possible.
If you are In-Network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, or Medcost an overview of the process can be found here. Further information on insurance can be found on the Insurance page.
If you are paying yourself or paying and then submitting yourself to your insurance company, click here for the typical process.
We can accommodate this. In the case where parents are divorced, or there are more than one caregiver and the initial session cannot be done together please talk to the front desk to discuss and make appointments.
The psychologist and the client/parents will review and discuss the completed Developmental History form, which focuses on the client’s presenting concerns and overall history of the presenting problem. This is a one hour session where the psychologist is seeking to determine what assessment measures need to be included in the assessment based upon considerations of strengths and deficits.
If your child is over 16 and is agreeable to participating in the initial appointment then they should come. Please inform the front desk as the initial session is then divided for the parents and the teen to meet with the psychologist separately. Young children should not be present for the initial session.
No, after this initial session the psychologist will determine which tests would best help determine what is going on based on the issues and history discussed. This group of tests is called a “Testing Battery” and is what the contract cost and time estimation will be based upon.
Yes! Our goal is to look at the client as a whole. Any information you can provide to give the psychologist a full picture of what has already occured can be submitted in advance to our front desk, uploaded to the patient portal or brought with you. It would be ideal to submit anything before your initial appointment so the psychologist can review prior to your arrival.
Paperwork! This will be sent to you via email and through our Patient Portal. All paperwork must be completed in advance as this will be used to help us prepare your account for cost estimations as well as the psychologist getting acquainted with the client prior to your arrival. We understand calling for insurance information is not the norm in most medical fields, for more information on that click here.
Your insurance company may reimburse fewer hours than billed. For example, some insurance companies only reimburse up to 12 hours of psychological testing, whereas 12-18 hours are typically billed for a full evaluation. It is your responsibility to verify coverage with your insurance company prior to consenting to services. While we do all we can to provide accurate estimates of coverage and benefits, we cannot control insurance companies interpretations or your policy coverage amounts. You are ultimately responsible for all charges incurred from our services.
Any late cancellation fees are not covered by insurance. Also, for assessments Genesis has a testing fee which covers administrative tasks which do not have associated codes to charge to insurance, this amount is clearly stated in your contract.
Initial assessment and therapy appointments are filed with in-network insurance within 1 week of the appointment.
For assessments for “in-network” insurance, the amount which is listed in your contract will be submitted once the final report is complete. This submittal will include all testing and feedback appointments, scoring, review of records, diagnosis and report writing time.
You will receive an explanation of benefits (EOB) form from your insurance company which will provide many details, but the total amount paid to us should be close to the estimated coverage amount provided in your signed contract.
No – claims cannot be processed without a diagnosis code. If you decide you will file your services with your insurance company, please be aware that any diagnosis made will become part of your child’s permanent insurance record. The only way to keep the diagnosis code from your child’s record is to pay out of pocket.
If you are looking to be seen in person (in our office) then you will need to check with your insurance carrier if they will accept North Carolina providers as “in-network” for your specific policy. Due to professional licensing restrictions, we cannot at this time provide telehealth appointments with clients who are calling from another state.
What this means is that we cannot submit claims to your insurance carrier on your behalf. For therapy, we can provide a receipt which can be used for you to submit as a claim. For assessment, once the final report is complete, we will provide you with a comprehensive superbill for you to submit as a claim to your insurance carrier. What coverage you will have for these services is determined by your individual insurance policy for mental health.
Sometimes insurance policies specify that clients can only see a select group of approved providers. Your insurance carrier can provide details as to why your particular plan does not include all providers within the paneled network.
Genesis Clinical Services is on the panel with Blue Cross Blue Shield and Medcost, with some providers also individually approved for Aetna.
We are approved as an Out of Network Preferred Provider for Tri-care.
After the initial appointment, the psychologist can help complete the forms or provide a letter of medical necessity based upon background data provided and the initial appointment discussions only. We cannot ethically cannot provide diagnosis codes for the client after this initial meeting, but can provide suspected diagnoses which we recommend testing for.
Preauthorization denials or partial approvals are able to be appealed within a certain time frame. This appeal must come from the client or the client’s responsible party (parent or caregiver). Genesis can provide support by sending any clinical information, and a provider recommendation of testing coverage based upon the background information and appointments which have occured. Once you have the appeal started, please contact us to coordinate needs.
For minors, any testing considered “educational” to test for learning disabilities, attention or achievement level will typically not be covered unless this testing is part of a group of tests looking at other psychological conditions. Since the public school system can evaluate for educational issues, insurance companies may consider any private educational testing not “medically necessary” and deny claims. If your testing will be purely educational in nature, we strongly recommend you call and discuss the client’s case with your insurance company before starting the assessment process, to confirm what will be covered.
If you intend to submit claims to your insurance carrier and your policy has a preauthorization requirement, then yes this needs to be completed before any testing can occur. Genesis can submit this for you as it will need clinical information and coding. We will provide you a form to gather information of what is needed and who we will submit it to.
Preauthorization may be required by an insurance company for assessments. This is determined by the coverage guidelines of individual policies. If pre-authorization is required and not obtained, insurance companies will deny any claims filed so it needs to be completed before any testing is to occur. Pre-authorization is not a guarantee of insurance reimbursement.
Insurance companies have teams of specialists who will review and approve coverage for assessment services only once the assessment is complete and the resulting diagnosis is provided. They do not consider psychological testing “medically necessary” for “experimental” or “investigational” diagnoses. Diagnoses considered “experimental” or “investigational” vary depending on the insurance carrier and are subjective to the review team they have in place.
Since mental health insurance can be subjectively reviewed by your insurance carrier, we legally cannot take responsibility for determining your coverage should the final result be different from the original estimate. As a provider we also are limited in our access to your specific policy information, and are not provided details such as family deductible and if our providers are considered “in-network”.