Telehealth Services

Please see below for Milena’s telehealth policies and other important information regarding telehealth services.

Policies:

Prior to engaging in telehealth, you will need to sign and Electronic Service Delivery Informed Consent Agreement. Milena will utilize Therapy Notes Portal secure and HIPAA compliant feature to forward you the document, which you will be able to e-sign. You cannot begin telehealth services without signing this document.

Scheduling:
Please contact Milena directly to schedule telehealth sessions. Please note that Milena’s available hours may have changed due to current circumstances. Participating in telehealth services is not mandatory; in-person sessions are offered one day a week, on Wednesdays.

Services/Payment:
Telehealth includes any services for the maintenance of treatment that does not occur in-person. This may include video meetings and phone calls.

Phone calls: Please note that phone calls will not be payable through insurance. If you choose to have a phone call with your clinician, you may be charged out of pocket. Phone calls that last longer than 10 minutes will be charged at a per minute rate of $120/hour, or $2/minute.

Video sessions: Video sessions may be payable through insurance. I am communicating with my insurance contractors and most in-network insurance companies will pay for telehealth. Please contact your insurance company directly to confirm that your plan covers telehealth. Video sessions will be billed at the same rate as face-to-face sessions. If you typically owe a copayment or deductible, the same rates will apply to video sessions. If you will be paying out of pocket for services, the same out-of-pocket/out-of-network rates will apply. Anything that your insurance plan does not cover is ultimately your financial responsibility.

By participating in telehealth services, you agree to be charged for services. These charges will be billed through Therapy Portal or Headway. Milena will discuss with you which billing service applies to you.

Late cancellation/no-show fees will continue to apply to telehealth sessions. If you cancel with less than 24 hours notice, please refer to the Tier System below and outlined in your consent paperwork. This does not apply to clients that are on Medicaid plans. If you are scheduled for a session and you do not attend the entire duration of the scheduled appointment, you will still be charged for the full allotted time.

-Cancellations within 24 hours but the day before the appointment: $50

-Cancellations within 24 hours, same day of your appointment: $75

-No show (you did not contact clinician prior to the start of your session): $100

In the event of an emergency, please call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room.

Video Procedures:
Milena Elise Counseling is committed to providing ethical and competent telehealth services. I have received telehealth training in order to offer telehealth services. Video sessions will take place through a secure, HIPAA compliant platform. Milena primarily uses Therapy Notes Portal as the telehealth platform. Once you become an established client with the practice, Milena will create an account through Therapy Notes in order for you to access the portal.

In the event of any difficulties with the portal, HIPAA compliant "Hangouts Meet" through Google G Suites will be utilized. For more information about Meet, please CLICK HERE. For instructions on how to join a call on Meet, please CLICK HERE.

Services for Minors:

Individual video sessions and phone calls will be available to minors under 18 years of age.  However, a parent/guardian must be present either in the session or available to the minor just outside of the private room, and available for contact by Milena, should Milena need to communicate with the parent/guardian. A plan will be discussed with the parent/guardian in the first telehealth session.

Tips for Video Calls:

  1. Minimum bandwidth connection of 384kb or higher (your phone should be sufficient)

  2. Minimum resolution of 640x360 at 30 frames per second (your phone should be sufficient)

  3. Operational web camera and microphone

  4. While your phone may meet most above requirements, you may benefit from using a larger screen such as a tablet or computer to get the most out of video sessions and be able to clearly see your therapist.

  5. Private location (please be mindful that other individuals in rooms near you may be able to hear your call.  Use of headphones is recommended to maximize confidentiality).

  6. No other individuals present in the room unless previously approved by your therapist.  If anyone is in the room that is not authorized by your therapist, your session will be terminated.

  7. Adequate lighting so you are visible to your therapist.

  8. Appropriate dress and environment (what you would wear to an in-office session and a location you feel comfortable having your therapist see)

  9. You will be asked for your physical location/address and emergency phone number to reach you at the beginning of each session.  Please have this information ready.  Public places are not appropriate for confidential therapy sessions.  Sessions may not take place while you are driving.

  10. Exit out of any programs that use bandwidth and ensure that no one in your home is streaming video or gaming which may affect your internet connection.

  11. Set your phone/device on "do not disturb" to minimize distractions and notifications.

  12. Think about setting up your space with things that you would typically have available to you in your therapist's office: tissues, fidgets, water, comfortable seating, etc.  This may also be an opportunity to have extra comforts available, like a pet or other comfort item(s).

  13. Please do not use substances before or during your sessions.  If this occurs, your session will be terminated.

  14. In the event of service disruption, try to regain contact using the same medium.  If that does not work, try to make contact through phone/text/email.  Your therapist will also make every effort to regain contact.