Does Dr. Watkins accept my insurance plan?
Dr. Watkins has a fee for service practice and does not accept insurance coverage as payment. In part, this is to help maintain patient’s confidentiality and privacy. Sliding fee scale may be available on a case by case basis. Please call if you have further questions about this.
What about my confidentiality?
Dr. Watkins wants you to be aware of limitations in protecting a patient’s confidentiality.
If you seek reimbursement through your insurance company, they will require (at minimum) a diagnosis of the condition for which you are being treated. In many cases they will require additional information.
Many individuals with depression experience urges to harm themselves. If Dr. Watkins believes you are a danger to yourself, she will act in a way to protect you. This may involve talking to family members, law enforcement and other mental health professionals without your permission.
Dr. Watkins is legally, professionally, and ethically obligated to report the abuse of children and the elderly.
If you discuss plans to harm another person, Dr. Watkins has a duty to warn and to protect that person by alerting authorities, even at the expense of your confidentiality. There are a few rare circumstances in which Dr. Watkins cannot protect your confidentiality e.g. if a judge requests your medical records as part of a subpoena, then Dr. Watkins has to comply.
What is the cancellation policy?
Dr. Watkins requires a 48-hour notification to cancel a session for any reason. If you provide this advance notification, you will not be charged for the session. If you do not provide Dr. Watkins with a 48-hour notification, you will be charged for the missed session. If Dr. Watkins’ receptionist can fill your slot at the last minute, Dr. Watkins will not charge you for the canceled session, even if you provide less than 48 hours notice.
If you are late for an appointment, you will still be charged for the full visit. Dr. Watkins will do her best to accommodate you, but will need to respect other patients’ appointment times.
Does Dr. Watkins provide couples and family therapy? Does Dr. Watkins see children?
Dr. Watkins only sees individuals for therapy and medication management.
Dr. Watkins provides treatment for adolescents (at least fifteen years old) and adults.
What about disability claims, worker’s compensation, legal concerns and other evaluations?
Dr. Watkins does not provide disability evaluations or sign disability claims as this represents a conflict of interest. Dr. Watkins will not provide copies of psychiatric evaluations or progress notes to anyone involved in a disability claim.
Similarly, if you are involved in any legal action, such as a divorce proceeding or a lawsuit, Dr. Watkins will not testify on your behalf or provide copies of records or reports unless legally obligated to do so by a judge. This helps to prevent concerns with conflict of interest.
Because Dr. Watkins will not have any involvement in any forensic issues, you can work together toward your treatment goals without any competing legal or disability concerns.
