What is tele-health?
Tele-health is live therapy via video through the internet.
How do I know if tele-health is right for me?
Tele-health is ideal for people who can meet for an hour privately. You can meet anywhere that you feel comfortable, such as your home, your parked car, or a park with a beautiful view, where you have privacy.
One of the benefits of tele-health is the versatility in scheduling. If you have a busy schedule, tele-health can help you make appointments you would otherwise miss due to commuting times. Due to COVID-19, many states are allowing tele-health across state lines, however this is dependent on the state. As a licensed clinical social worker in California, I am able to provide tele-health to anyone within the state of California.
How does tele-health work?
I use Zoom for tele-health and will send you a unique, HIPAA compliant link before each session. You can login to the session using the Zoom app on your phone or tablet, or via the Zoom website using the browser on your computer. If you’re new to this, just ask for help on how to logon and I can assist you.
What should I expect?
Your first step is requesting a free phone consultation to discuss your reason for seeking therapy, review the consent for treatment, and answer any questions you may have before scheduling your assessment session.
If you are new to this practice, your first session will be a detailed assessment interview. This is where I will ask you questions about what brings you to treatment, what symptoms you are experiencing, and what you would like to get out of treatment.
If you are a previous client, your first session will be a brief assessment to update on any changes since you were last seen.
What does therapy cost?
Your initial phone consultation is free. For new patients, the assessment interview is the first session and is $210. Follow up sessions are $160 for an hour individual session.
I will collaborate with you to develop a treatment plan that meets your needs. The severity of your symptoms, your treatment goals, and your treatment progress will determine how often you need to be seen for follow up sessions.
Will insurance cover therapy?
Karla is in network with United Behavioral Health/Optum commercial plans.
Karla is considered an out-of-network provider with most insurance companies and you will be paying her directly for your therapy fees.
However, many insurance plans will reimburse you a portion of your therapy fees. Please call your insurance directly to ask them if you have out-of-network provider coverage and if so how to submit a claim for reimbursement. I will provide you with a Superbill to submit to your insurance for reimbursement if you need.
What is a licensed clinical social worker?
A licensed clinical social worker (also known as an LCSW) is someone who has completed a 4 year bachelor’s degree from a university, a master’s degree in social work, over 3000 hours of advanced training and supervision, and passed the California Board of Behavioral Services law and ethics and clinical exams. LCSWs are also required to complete annual training to keep their knowledge current with the latest research in mental health. LCSWs are trained in biological, sociological, and psychological understanding of people from a micro/mezzo/macro lens.
LCSWs are able to diagnose and treat a variety of mental health conditions. LCSWs are NOT prescribers and do not prescribe medication.
I completed my bachelor’s degree with a double major in psychology and social welfare at UC Berkeley.
I completed my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern California (USC).
I complete a minimum of 36 hours of trainings every two years to keep current with the latest trends in mental health treatment.
Good Faith Estimate
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost.
Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services.
You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.