Question 1

What do I do in case of an emergency?

Accepted Answer

If there is a medical emergency or any current concern the patient will harm self or others, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
 
You may also call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or 1-800-273-TALK which is a confidential hotline staffed by trained mental health counselors, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Question 2

What is a psychiatrist?

Accepted Answer

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has completed medical school followed by a 4 year residency program focused on psychiatric conditions. Board certified child psychiatrists have also completed a 2 year fellowship specializing in the mental health of children and adolescents.  Psychiatric treatment is focused on improving mental health through a combination of medication management, therapy, and lifestyle changes.

Question 3

How do I schedule my first appointment?

Accepted Answer

You can schedule an appointment online here.

Question 4

What do I need for telepsychiatry (online) visits?

Accepted Answer

Patients need following for a telepsychiatry visit:
Any computer, smartphone or tablet with an internet connection.
Zoom video conferencing app downloaded and set up ahead of time.
Private location of your choice
For minors or adults with legal guardians, each visit will require access to the patient and at least one caregiver (parent, legal guardian, etc.).
Patient must be in Ohio or Wisconsin at the time of the appointment.

Question 5

Do I need a referral to see a provider at this practice?

Accepted Answer

A referral is not required to see a provider at Balanced Innovative Care; however, it would be helpful to receive collateral information from your physician, therapist, or school. This information can be collected by:
signing a release of information form for each provider,
asking providers to contact our practice through the Provider Contact Form, or
asking your provider to fax information to 614-705-0025.

Question 6

What are the office hours?

Accepted Answer

Appointments are available from 8:00AM to 6:00PM.

Question 7

What age patients do you see?

Accepted Answer

Patients of any age can be seen for Autism evaluation, ADHD evaluation, and one-time consultation (second opinion).

Patients ages 4-25 can be seen for medication management and ongoing care for all psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, autism, ADHD, and stress related disorders.

Question 8

Is my information secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Balanced Innovative Care only uses HIPAA and PCI compliant technologies and services.
 
See Charm EHR HIPAA privacy policy here.
See IntakeQ privacy policy here.
See Bluefin payment gateway privacy policy here.
See our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices here.

Question 9

How do I contact my provider?

Accepted Answer

Patients are able to send messages and refill requests through the secure patient portal. Providers will respond within 1 business day. If medication refills are needed, it is best to send a refill request 2 business days in advance.

Question 10

What is the patient portal?

Accepted Answer

Patient portal is a HIPAA compliant web based app by Charm EHR that lets you securely access and manage your health data anytime, anywhere. The patient portal provides ability to:
schedule appointments
complete all questionnaires before visits
sign consent forms
send secure messages directly to your provider
request medication refills
request superbill at any time

For more information, see Patient portal FAQs here.

Question 11

How do I cancel or reschedule an appointment?

Accepted Answer

Appointments can be canceled or rescheduled by sending us a message through the patient portal more than 24 hours before the scheduled time. 
 
If an appointment needs to be canceled or rescheduled within 24 hours, 50% of the cost of the visit will be charged to the credit card on file.

Question 12

Do you accept insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, or Tricare?

Accepted Answer

No, Balanced Innovative Care is a direct pay practice. We are not in network with any insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, or Tricare; however, our fee schedule is simple with no hidden costs. For more information on our pricing, please see here.

Question 13

Will I be able to get reimbursed by my insurance company?

Accepted Answer

We do not accept any insurance and are considered "out-of-network" for all insurance companies, Medicaid, Medicare, or Tricare. Most insurance companies reimburse 50-80% of the out-of-network cost to the patient. However, as each insurance plan is different, it is not guaranteed that an insurance company will reimburse the patient for the medical services they received. If you see the terms “POS”, “PPO” or “out-of network” on your insurance card then you are likely eligible. If you see “HMO” then you probably are not. Check with your insurance company or HR representative to be sure.

Question 14

How does out-of-network insurance reimbursement work?

Accepted Answer

A "Superbill" is a medical billing receipt for an appointment with an out-of-network provider. It includes diagnoses, CPT billing codes, fees, and date of service. Patients can choose to submit the superbill to their insurance company directly to request reimbursement. As each insurance plan is different, submitting a superbill does not guarantee that an insurance company will reimburse the patient for the medical services they received. Please contact your insurance company or HR representative to find out exactly what will be covered.
 
Our patients can request a superbill for each visit through our patient portal at any time to claim reimbursement from their insurance company directly. Some patients use apps such as "Reimbursify" to streamline this process.

Question 15

How is the fee paid?

Accepted Answer

Patients will place a credit or debit card on file when booking an appointment. Payment will be charged at the time of the appointment through a secure IntakeQ payment gateway.
 
Please note, a no show charge (50% of the cost of the visit) will be charged to the card on file if appointments are canceled within 24 hours of the scheduled time.  
 
For more information about our fee schedule and other practice policies, please see here.

Question 16

What if I want to maintain complete privacy or do not want a pre-existing condition on my health record?

Accepted Answer

All visits are confidential and can be completed from the comfort and privacy of your home with minimal setup. All documentation and communication is completed via HIPAA compliant EHR and patient portal. A signed release of information will be required in order to contact therapists, other physicians, schools, etc. 
 
Payment is charged via credit or debit card on file. The charge will show up as “Balanced Innovative Care, LLC.” Your insurance company will not be contacted directly by our practice; however, superbills used by the patient for out-of-network reimbursement contain the types of service and diagnosis codes addressed during the visit. 
 
For details about our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, please see here.

Question 17

What happens if I determine this practice or telepsychiatry is not for me?

Accepted Answer

Telepsychiatry is not for everyone. In particular, telepsychiatry may be difficult for:
patients who are in acute crisis and in need of emergency evaluation.
patients who do not have consistent Internet access
patients who are not comfortable with video calls
Due to current prescribing laws, if patients need stimulant medications or benzodiazepines, they must be seen in person by a provider before the medication is prescribed. 
 
If patients cannot be seen in person and a primary care physician would like a dose recommendation for a controlled substance such stimulants for ADHD, we are happy to provide a virtual one-time consultation and recommendations for these patients.
 
This practice is not set up for:
patients who require scripts for Suboxone or medical marijuana
patients residing outside of the state of Ohio or Wisconsin
forensic evaluations
child custody evaluations

If this practice or setup is not a good fit for the patient, we can suggest more appropriate referrals or more intensive services as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions