Aqua Psychiatry is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality, cost effective mental health care through secure, online video conferencing. Please read the following office policies to ensure your best experience.
We would like to thank you for choosing Aqua Psychiatry as your mental health provider. As one of our patients, we would like to keep you informed of our current office and financial policies.
For the most up-to-date information or for all questions and concerns, contact our clinic directly at:
Phone: To be determined
Office Staff Hours:
9:00am – 5:00pm EST
Wednesday
Prescription Renewal / Refill Policy
Prescriptions are sent electronically directly to your pharmacy at the time of your appointment with sufficient quantities and refills, if necessary, to last you until your next appointment. If, by chance, you run out of medication before your next appointment, please email your request to our office.
We WILL NOT refill your medications if you have not seen your clinician for more than 90 days. We will request that you schedule an appointment at least once every three months to continue receiving prescriptions for your psychiatric medications. Online controlled substance medications require the patient to visit with their provider monthly, per Florida law,
Refill requests called or emailed in after 3:00 PM may not be sent to the pharmacy until the following business day.
Patients who are prescribed Controlled Schedule II, III, IV, and V, medications are asked to use the same pharmacy each time for refills.
Patients who are prescribed Controlled Schedule II, III, IV, and V, medications are required to sign a Controlled Substance Contract with FCITT.
Controlled Substance prescriptions will only be prescribed a 30-day supply. We DO NOT send 90-day/3-month supplies for Controlled Substance Medications to either local or mail-order pharmacies.
Patient Rights and Complaint Process
I understand that I have a right to refuse treatment at any time. Unless otherwise agreed to in writing in such cases where HIPAA does not apply (e.g. Worker’s Compensation, litigation), I have a right to review my records, diagnosis, and treatment plan. I understand that if I feel my rights have been violated, it is my right to file a complaint with the State of Florida.
Consent for Mental Health Services and Telehealth Services
You will be required to sign a consent to engage in Diagnostic and/or Therapeutic Mental Health Services provided by one or more staff members of Aqua Psychiatry on our Patient Portal online.
Payments
**All new Aqua Psychiatry patients will be required to have Initial Psychiatric Evaluation**
It is the policy of Aqua Psychiatry that payment is due at the time services are rendered. Please Contact our Administrative Office with any questions about payment or scheduling. We can supply a walk-out bill for patient submission to their insurance company upon request.
Appointments
Services are by appointment only. After 3 missed appointments on your account, we will have to terminate the patient-clinician relationship.
Cancellations
Your appointment represents valuable time for both you and your provider. If you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment, please contact our office to reschedule your appointment or send a message through the patient portal. This allows us to provide that time slot to another patient. We request that you notify us at least 24 hours in advance of a cancellation or need for change. Cancellations must be received in writing by e-mail. If you fail to give the necessary notice, you will be charged the cost of the visit.
Forms, Letters, Telephone Calls, & Emails
- Patients will be billed for a clinician’s time spent filling out forms and dictation of letters. We bill in 15-minute increments for such paperwork for $25.00 per 15 minutes, rounded-up; minimum charge is $25.00 per form, document, or letter.
- We allow up to three telephone calls per month between you and your clinician. We will bill for excessive telephone calls above this limit at the same 15-minute rate.
- It is often difficult for our clinical staff to immediately respond to telephone calls. If your situation is urgent, please notify our Office Administrator at the time of your call and we will do our best to facilitate a timely response.
- We DO NOT do Workers Comp Evaluations of any kind.
- We DO NOT do Disability Evaluations of any kind.
Termination of Care
Either party can terminate the clinician/patient relationship for any reason s/he deems appropriate. Reasons that could lead to termination of care include, but are not limited to:
- Providing misleading or untruthful information
- Not following the agreed treatment plan
- Using medication outside of the prescribed directions resulting in requests for early refills
- Excessive, unwarranted telephone calls and/or emails
- Failure to keep scheduled appointments
- Failure to comply with financial policies
- Aggressive, abusive or inappropriate behavior
- Breech of the controlled substance contract
Emergencies
If you are actively suicidal, then Aqua Psychiatry is NOT the place to start. You need immediate and intensive care from a local provider who can monitor you closely. For that reason, IF YOU FEEL SUICIDAL, OR ARE EXPERIENCING ANY OTHER KIND OF MEDICAL EMERGENCY, THEN PLEASE CALL 9-1-1 OR GO TO YOU NEAREST EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT FOR IMMEDIATE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT. Aqua Psychiatry is not setup for walk-in emergencies.
If you feel that you have a high priority issue and need to speak to your treating clinician, please call during office hours and talk directly with one of our staff. Do NOT leave emergency messages on the office voice mail, as these messages may not be answered until the end of the workday or next business day.
Hospitalization
If hospitalization is required, we have to refer you to your local hospital. Please note that our clinicians will likely not have admitting privileges at your hospital. Please inform the staff at the hospital you are seen by our office for our outpatient mental health treatment. We request that you have the hospital send us your medical records and discharge summary.
Release of Clinical Information
- Information cannot be released without express, written consent except under the following circumstances which may be required by law or as part of mandatory reporting to the State of Florida:
- If there is imminent danger of self-neglect or self-harm or imminent danger to another individual.
- If there is suspicion of child abuse or neglect.
- If there is suspicion of elder abuse or neglect.
- If there is suspicion of abuse or neglect of disabled individual.
- If there is a suspicion of an inappropriate sexual relationship with a healthcare provider.
- If legal action is brought involving mental health damages.
- If there is a court order signed by a judge.
- If evaluation or treatment is provided with forensic/legal or Workers Compensation involvement, where the client is another individual or agency, with whom information may be shared without your consent.
Special Disclaimer
The diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders requires a physician or qualified mental health professional. The information provided through this web site is intended for informational purposes only. None of the information on this web site is a substitute for a diagnosis for mental illness by a physician or qualified mental health professional.
Insurance
Aqua psychiatry currently accepts BCBS (Florida Blue) for in-network services. Copays and deductibles for office visits are determined by insurance plans. We accept all major credit cards through our secure payment portal. Payment for all services and appointments is due, and must be paid in full, at time of scheduling. Some health plans may provide reimbursement for qualified mental health services paid for out of pocket known as out-of-network reimbursement. Aqua psychiatry will happily provide documentation for you to submit to your health carrier for reimbursement consideration. Depending on your current health insurance provider or employee benefit plan, it is possible for services to be covered in full or in part. Please contact your provider to verify how your plan compensates for services.
We’d recommend asking these questions to your insurance provider to help determine your benefits:
- Does my health insurance plan include mental health benefits?
- Do I have a deductible? If so, what is it and have I met it yet?
- Does my plan limit how many sessions per calendar year I can have? If so, what is the limit?
- Do I need written approval from my primary care physician for services to be covered?
Patients who do not have BCBS
We provide patients with billing codes and statements that they may submit directly to insurance carriers. We will be covered as an out of network provider. Payment for the care provided is due to Aqua Psychiatry at each appointment. At Aqua Psychiatry we believe in individualized care for your particulars needs. Each individual and his/her circumstances are unique…and we can spend more time with patients if we are not restricted to a set number of allowable visits or limited to using particular treatment strategies imposed by insurance companies. Furthermore, we value our patient’s confidentiality and as a fee-for-service center, your treatment will not become part of your permanent medical record with your insurance company, unless you choose to notify them.