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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Collete on August 2, 2001, at 10:18:31
I hope this question isn't inappropriate. I am new here. My insurance pays nothing for mental health so consequently my initial visit with a psych cost me $182. I was told that followup visits will cost the same. I can afford these rates so asking him for some sort of break wouldn't fly, but still the cost of seeing him AND paying for the meds is pretty high. Does his rate seem inline with the cost of seeing a psychiatrist? Thank you, Collette
Posted by Greg on August 2, 2001, at 11:02:58
In reply to Cost of psychiatry, posted by Collete on August 2, 2001, at 10:18:31
Collete,
My psych charges $125 per session. With my insurance, I pay about half that. I recently lost my job so now I'll have to pay the full amount. Because of our good relationship I feel like it's worth it. $182 sounds a little high, but that could be because of your geographical location and the availability of psych doctors in your area. I live in California, so like Stabucks, there seems like there's a Psych every 10 blocks... :)
I hope this helps and welcome to the board!
Greg
> I hope this question isn't inappropriate. I am new here. My insurance pays nothing for mental health so consequently my initial visit with a psych cost me $182. I was told that followup visits will cost the same. I can afford these rates so asking him for some sort of break wouldn't fly, but still the cost of seeing him AND paying for the meds is pretty high. Does his rate seem inline with the cost of seeing a psychiatrist? Thank you, Collette
Posted by Ted on August 2, 2001, at 11:11:36
In reply to Cost of psychiatry, posted by Collete on August 2, 2001, at 10:18:31
Collette,
FWIW, here are my costs:
Pdoc, initial exam: $200 (1 hour)
(my insurance reimbursed $67.50)
Pdoc, med maintenance exam: $120 (20-30 min)
(don't yet know level of reimbursement)
Therapist: $80 per hour
(don't yet know level of reimbursement, if any)My therapist is actually quite low cost. When I was checking around, others were in the range $90 - $120 per hour. I chose mine based on recommendations; cost is not a factor for me (within reason).
Notes:
1. I live in Silicon Valley (San Jose, CA), which has a quite high cost of living, so expenses are relatively high here.
2. My pdoc is well known, respected, and popular. He can charge whatever he wants.
3. My therapist is still an internist and not yet licensed. When she gets her license (within the next month), her rates may climb to the normal range.
4. My insurance covers 50% of the "usual and customary" cost. But the value they place on "usual and customary" is probably from the lowest cost part of the US, so they low-ball all refunds (no real surprise there).
5. If you live in the US and are employed, you can help your costs by using a Section 125 (of the Internal Revenue Code) payroll deduction plan for medical savings. This works by taking pre-tax money out of your paycheck and placing it in an escrow account. You then submit receipts from doctors, prescriptions, eyeglasses, etc., and are refunded 100% from the escrow account. This way you will at least save the income tax on your expenses. Section 125 plans are limited to $2000 per year, so it is easy to use it all up. One note: any money left in the escrow account and unclaimed at the end of the year is forfeited -- if you don't use it, you lose it -- so be careful not to over-withhold.Ted
> I hope this question isn't inappropriate. I am new here. My insurance pays nothing for mental health so consequently my initial visit with a psych cost me $182. I was told that followup visits will cost the same. I can afford these rates so asking him for some sort of break wouldn't fly, but still the cost of seeing him AND paying for the meds is pretty high. Does his rate seem inline with the cost of seeing a psychiatrist? Thank you, Collette
Posted by susan C on August 2, 2001, at 11:21:18
In reply to Cost of psychiatry, posted by Collete on August 2, 2001, at 10:18:31
Hi, Maybe this does belong in psycho social babble? My experience for the first assessment was an hour and a half plus lab work (he found I was very anemic, a very thorough guy, I had been giving blood too vigorously) was similar cost. 30 minute med check is $80. I go every 1-3 months. It was more frequent at the beginning. So my question to you is will you be regularly seeing him for more than 1/2 hour? I did go to a public state University specialty clinic with 'world renound specialist' and spent an hour with pdoc as he drilled me with questions from forms. They charged the public $400 for the visit, turns out our provider was charged $120. That is a big difference. I hope, that the doc spent a little time before and after that hour looking at my answers and he did dictate a letter of diagnosis and recommended treatment to my pdoc. We didn't really agree with him, but it was a documentation of my illness, I don't know how docs figure what they charge, I would assume it is like any business, it is based on what the market will bear, what their experience is, how busy their practice is.
> I hope this question isn't inappropriate. I am new here. My insurance pays nothing for mental health so consequently my initial visit with a psych cost me $182. I was told that followup visits will cost the same. I can afford these rates so asking him for some sort of break wouldn't fly, but still the cost of seeing him AND paying for the meds is pretty high. Does his rate seem inline with the cost of seeing a psychiatrist? Thank you, Collette
Posted by Collete on August 2, 2001, at 11:39:35
In reply to Re: Cost of psychiatry, posted by susan C on August 2, 2001, at 11:21:18
Armed with your information, I feel like I can at least have a conversation without feeling like a creep about putting a price on my mental health. I will ask about 1/2 hour med checks. The area of the country that I live in is not a high cost-of-living area at all, and I did think his fee was kind of high, but I had little to compare it to. Even follow-up visits of one hour may be less than the initial one, but that was not impression his secretary gave to me. I can ask them better questions now. Thank you.
Posted by susan C on August 2, 2001, at 12:35:02
In reply to Thank you all...., posted by Collete on August 2, 2001, at 11:39:35
Another tip, NAMI probably has a volunteer chapter in your area. I have found wonderful networking there and often they are together with depressiion/manicdepression association (I think that is the name) Also, I think there may be a difference in price if board certified or multi degreed.
> Armed with your information, I feel like I can at least have a conversation without feeling like a creep about putting a price on my mental health. I will ask about 1/2 hour med checks. The area of the country that I live in is not a high cost-of-living area at all, and I did think his fee was kind of high, but I had little to compare it to. Even follow-up visits of one hour may be less than the initial one, but that was not impression his secretary gave to me. I can ask them better questions now. Thank you.
Posted by Elizabeth on August 2, 2001, at 15:33:23
In reply to Cost of psychiatry, posted by Collete on August 2, 2001, at 10:18:31
> Does his rate seem inline with the cost of seeing a psychiatrist?
Alas, yes. Some of them charge much more (like in the range of $300 or so) for the initial consultation, which usually takes longer than followups. How long are your followup appointments?
That really stinks that your insurance won't help at all. Do you not even have a prescription plan? My insurance covers all but a $15 copay for up to 40 psych visits a year; generic prescriptions are $10 (less if the retail price is lower), brand-name drugs that are on their formulary are $20, and non-formulary drugs are $30.
-elizabeth
Posted by Gracie2 on August 3, 2001, at 0:30:03
In reply to Re: Cost of psychiatry » Collete, posted by Elizabeth on August 2, 2001, at 15:33:23
What the hell kind of insurance do you have, Blue Choice? Get rid of it. (So sue me.)
I have GHP Access and pay nothing but a $10
co-pay. I also don't need a referral from my primary physician, they call for it when I arrive for my appointment.
Might as well get your money's worth.
-G
Posted by Collete on August 3, 2001, at 4:10:11
In reply to Re: Cost of psychiatry » Collete, posted by Elizabeth on August 2, 2001, at 15:33:23
My insurance cover NOTHING related to mental illness and that includes medication. Where I live, the only insurance that I can consider is Trigon( BC/BS of Virginia) and they refuse to insure me because I have been diagnosed with Depression and YES, that is legal. I can get special high insurance rates and get covered, but then I still wouldn't get the mental coverage and the insurance would cost even more than what I currently have. I have worked on this, believe me!
Posted by Ted on August 3, 2001, at 14:00:07
In reply to Re: Cost of psychiatry, posted by Gracie2 on August 3, 2001, at 0:30:03
Gracie,
Often it isn't as simple as this. Collette described her insurance limitations. Let me mention mine. My pdoc retired and left all his patients hanging. I had a choice: get an in-network pdoc which is covered 100% less $10 copay OR get an out-of-network pdoc who requires I pay 100% then I get a 50% refund on "usual and customary" fees (turns out to be about 30% of my cost) from my insurance.
I chose the latter because all the in-network pdocs were divided into two groups: Those who were taking new patients and had AWFUL reputations and those with GREAT reputations who were not taking new patients. A lose-lose situation.
To me, my health is more important than whether or not I have enough money to go out to dinner once a week or take trips. I'll pay the higher price for good care.
Ted
> What the hell kind of insurance do you have, Blue Choice? Get rid of it. (So sue me.)
> I have GHP Access and pay nothing but a $10
> co-pay. I also don't need a referral from my primary physician, they call for it when I arrive for my appointment.
> Might as well get your money's worth.
> -G
This is the end of the thread.
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