Payment and Insurance

This practice accepts Medicare and many Medigap insurance plans, as well as self-pay. Dr. Imber is considered an out-of-network provider for other insurance plans.  She accepts many forms of payment, including Visa, MasterCard, Discover, checks, some types of “Flex Spending” cards, and money orders. If you have out-of-network benefits, or if you have trouble locating an in-network provider, your evaluation could be covered in full or in part by your insurance carrier. Please call the office, and/or your insurance carrier, with questions about how to accomplish this. You can also find helpful information here, through the Massachusetts Psychological Association consumer pages about accessing psychology services.

You should be aware that some services, such as testing that is primarily for educational, legal, or vocational purposes, are not generally covered by health insurance plans whether providers are in- or out-of-network. Please also note that Cogmed Working Memory Training is not currently considered “medically necessary” by most insurance companies and is therefore not covered by insurance at this time. Cogmed is billed at a flat rate; please contact Dr. Imber for more information.

Dr. Imber understands that dealing with payment and insurance reimbursement can be complicated.  Please call with any questions—she’ll help if she can.

If you have a different insurance plan than Medicare, you should be aware of the following:

  • If you are seeking testing for a medically-necessary reason and would like to use your insurance, you may wish to contact your insurance company to find out whether you have out-of-network benefits for neuropsychological assessment.
  • Dr. Imber may be able to help you apply for preauthorization of services through your insurance company.  If your carrier approves the service, they may agree to cover some or all of the cost of the evaluation or treatment depending upon your contract with them. You can also talk with your referring doctor, who may be in a better position to complete some of the preauthorization paperwork. Dr. Imber will be happy to work with your referring doctor to seek authorization.
  • Out-of-network evaluations generally require you to pay out-of-pocket; the practice will provide you with a receipt that you can submit to your carrier for possible reimbursement (depending upon your agreement with the insurance carrier).
  • Services are billed at bundled (“flat”) rates or hourly, depending upon the service. We will generally select the payment option that is most beneficial to you.  Please contact Dr. Imber for current fee schedule information.
  • The cost of a typical flat-rate assessment includes the following services: initial interview; review of a standard amount of records; administration of general neuropsychological test battery; scoring and interpretation of tests; preparation of a detailed report with history, neurobehavioral status examination, review of test results, summary, and recommendations; 60-minute feedback session in person or by telephone, and preparation of a receipt that you may be able to submit to your insurance company to obtain reimbursement for covered services. Dr. Imber will also be happy to send a copy of your report to treating and referring doctors, or to whomever you direct her to share it with.
  • Additional services, or briefer assessments, may be billed at the hourly rate. For instance, if you have already had some testing and need a briefer evaluation, or if you are having a brief follow-up examination, it may be more beneficial to pay “á la carte” for just the time that your case requires.  These issues will be discussed at your initial interview, and as they arise thereafter.
  • Therapy and other treatment services are billed at the hourly rate; you may qualify for a discounted “package price” if we contract for a certain number of sessions.
  • Insurance carriers treat neuropsychological testing differently depending upon the reason for the evaluation. If the primary diagnosis is psychiatric, your behavioral health benefits may apply; if the primary diagnosis is neurological or otherwise medical, your medical coverage may apply. Call your carrier with any questions about how they approach neuropsychological evaluation.

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The resources offered here are for consumer education only. Nothing contained in this site is or should be considered or substituted for medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment by your own doctor. This site does not in itself constitute the practice of any medical, psychological, or other professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment.