Payment arrangements that need to be addressed include both fee and collection policy. Many therapists have some flexibility in their fees, with some ability to make adjustments in accordance with the patient's income. In these situations, frank discussion of the patient's finances and insurance coverage need to be part of the fee-setting. It is important that both therapist and patient are comfortable with the fee. A usual practice is to bill at the end of the month and collect shortly thereafter.
Payment can be due the session after the bill, two weeks later or a month later.
Sometimes there is an agreement to wait until the patient has collected from insurance. Whatever the arrangements, they need to be clearly agreed upon. Deviations from the agreement then can be focused on in the treatment hours, as they occur. Charging for missed sessions, guidelines for the patient, and interactions between therapist and patient outside the sessions will be discussed in the final three questions. Some patients enter treatment with some urgency, in some state of crisis or regression.