Office Information for 2023
OFFICE HOURS & BASICS
Teletherapy is continuing to be provided via a HIPAA-compliant website. Teletherapy involves some special considerations requiring a specific Teletherapy Consent Form which will be provided.
Email svcarboni@lifechangeboston.com to inquire if Ms Carboni has openings in her practice and then to schedule an initial appointment. Appointments when available are during daytime hours only on Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays.
FEE & CANCELLATION POLICIES
Ms Carboni does not have a sliding scale; thus, all patients pay the same fee. The fee per session is $185. Payment can be made by credit card (preferable) or by check (to be mailed at the beginning of every month). Checks be made out to LifeChange, LLC can be mailed to:
Shawna V. Carboni, LICSW
LifeChange LLC
235 Cypress Street, Suite 01C
Brookline MA 02445-6777
Therapy sessions are 50 minutes long, and punctuality is expected. Appointment times are reserved, and the full session fee is owed even if you are late, forget or otherwise miss an appointment. Being detained at work, being ill, or having a sick child are unfortunate circumstances, but do not exempt you from having to pay for missed sessions ~ including teletherapy sessions. To avoid paying for a session, you can cancel 24 hours in advance of the beginning time of the appointment (just like with in-person sessions.)
REGARDING INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT
Ms Carboni is an "out-of-network" provider. Most PPO insurance plans will reimburse for teletherapy — not, however, HMO plans, Mass Health, Neighborhood Health, nor Medicaid. Ms Carboni is also not a Medicare Provider. Please check in advance with your insurance company to clarify if, and at what percentage, you will be reimbursed.
NO SURPRISES ACT OF 2021
Congress has passed the “No Surprises Act” set to go into effect 1/1/2022. The Act is designed to protect insured consumers from surprise medical bills from out-of-network hospitals, doctors, or other providers they did not choose. It is highly unlikely that this will affect our work together. The fee and cancellation policies are described above; also, if there are any additional services required (eg extra paperwork, extra telephone calls, etc), you will know in advance if there will be additional charges. Rest assured Ms Carboni will be transparent about the costs for all services agreed on and that you will receive no ‘surprise” bills.
CONFIDENTIALITY
All sessions are confidential. The fact of meeting, any identifying information, as well as the content of discussions, are private and will not be disclosed, except under the following circumstances:
EMAILING and TEXTING
Because conventional email and texts are inherently insecure, the confidentiality of sensitive materials cannot be assured. Therefore, sensitive matters are best not communicated through email or texts. That being said, please know that office voicemails, emails and texts are accessed only by Ms Carboni, and thus are private.
Teletherapy is continuing to be provided via a HIPAA-compliant website. Teletherapy involves some special considerations requiring a specific Teletherapy Consent Form which will be provided.
Email svcarboni@lifechangeboston.com to inquire if Ms Carboni has openings in her practice and then to schedule an initial appointment. Appointments when available are during daytime hours only on Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays.
FEE & CANCELLATION POLICIES
Ms Carboni does not have a sliding scale; thus, all patients pay the same fee. The fee per session is $185. Payment can be made by credit card (preferable) or by check (to be mailed at the beginning of every month). Checks be made out to LifeChange, LLC can be mailed to:
Shawna V. Carboni, LICSW
LifeChange LLC
235 Cypress Street, Suite 01C
Brookline MA 02445-6777
Therapy sessions are 50 minutes long, and punctuality is expected. Appointment times are reserved, and the full session fee is owed even if you are late, forget or otherwise miss an appointment. Being detained at work, being ill, or having a sick child are unfortunate circumstances, but do not exempt you from having to pay for missed sessions ~ including teletherapy sessions. To avoid paying for a session, you can cancel 24 hours in advance of the beginning time of the appointment (just like with in-person sessions.)
REGARDING INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT
Ms Carboni is an "out-of-network" provider. Most PPO insurance plans will reimburse for teletherapy — not, however, HMO plans, Mass Health, Neighborhood Health, nor Medicaid. Ms Carboni is also not a Medicare Provider. Please check in advance with your insurance company to clarify if, and at what percentage, you will be reimbursed.
NO SURPRISES ACT OF 2021
Congress has passed the “No Surprises Act” set to go into effect 1/1/2022. The Act is designed to protect insured consumers from surprise medical bills from out-of-network hospitals, doctors, or other providers they did not choose. It is highly unlikely that this will affect our work together. The fee and cancellation policies are described above; also, if there are any additional services required (eg extra paperwork, extra telephone calls, etc), you will know in advance if there will be additional charges. Rest assured Ms Carboni will be transparent about the costs for all services agreed on and that you will receive no ‘surprise” bills.
CONFIDENTIALITY
All sessions are confidential. The fact of meeting, any identifying information, as well as the content of discussions, are private and will not be disclosed, except under the following circumstances:
- if verbal or written permission is given to provide or release information for insurance reimbursement or coordination of care with a doctor or other treatment provider;
- if directed by the court in certain legal proceedings;
- if a professional consultation is sought to clarify treatment objectives, and how best they can be achieved, in which case no identifying information will be revealed;
- if you are in clear and imminent danger of seriously injuring yourself;
- if you explicitly threaten to harm someone else;
- if information on the abuse of a child, elderly individual or disabled person becomes apparent. Licensed clinicians are mandated by law to report suspected abuse.
EMAILING and TEXTING
Because conventional email and texts are inherently insecure, the confidentiality of sensitive materials cannot be assured. Therefore, sensitive matters are best not communicated through email or texts. That being said, please know that office voicemails, emails and texts are accessed only by Ms Carboni, and thus are private.