FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You Ask — We Answer
ARE THERE ANY FEES
Clinicians at Asten Behavioral Health are in-network providers for most major insurance companies and Medicare. If your insurance plan has an in-network requirement, it will cover most services offered by our group. Your financial obligation will simply be your co-pay. If you have an annual deductible, then copays may be higher until the deductible is met. If you do not have insurance coverage or if your clinician is not in-network for your insurance plan, fees will be according to our posted charges as listed below. All payments are due at the time of service unless alternative agreements have been made in advance with our billing division. This includes co-payments, previous balances, and payment-in-full for patients without insurance coverage.
Initial appointment $150-250
Follow-up medication visit (15-30 minutes) $100-150
Missed appointment fee $75.
MEDICAL RECORDS
A minimum of 72 business hours’ notice is required to process all requests for medical records. Some requests may take up to 14 days. We require a properly completed “Release of Information” form that has been signed by the patient, legal guardian, or Power of Attorney, in order to release records. We follow the State of Maryland medical record release fees (preparation fee of $23.18, plus $.76 cents per page) plus postage and handling, as applicable. Payment of all fees and any existing account balance is required prior to the release of medical records. For completion of forms, letters, and paperwork, you may be asked to schedule an appointment with your provider, who will complete the request at the time of your appointment. Otherwise, there is a nominal fee of $20.00 for all completed forms, payable upon pick-up.
MEDICATION REFILLS
A provider at Asten normally provides prescriptions to last until the next scheduled appointment. We urge you to schedule your follow-up visit immediately after your appointment and before you leave our clinic so that you will not run out of your medications.
In emergencies or situations where you must cancel your scheduled appointment for a valid reason, the prescriber might refill a prescription for a few days as a one-time courtesy. It may seem inconvenient, but the best practice is to manage medication in person. We want to ensure that you are doing well and you are getting the correct medications at the correct dose for your health condition. For routine and non-emergent schedule changes, clients should call the office phone. The staff will return calls as soon as possible. However, as a matter of policy, the prescribers do not make medication adjustments without having a face-to-face appointment. For emergencies, you are encouraged to contact your provider and/or go to the nearest emergency room.