FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about Integrative Behavioral Health & Medicine, our services, policies, and what to expect as a patient.
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general
General & Onboarding
Yes, we offer in-person psychiatric evaluations or medication management at our Palo Alto office.
Yes, a virtual appointment is available for any patient residing in Northern or Southern California.
One can easily find a provider (psychiatrist or a therapist), through our website www.ibhm.us .You can also check the list of providers (https://www.integrativebehavioral.com/team) or you can call us directly at 8663624246.
No, not necessary for all insurance plans. Depending on the insurance plan type, a referral or an authorization might be required.
Unfortunately, our providers do not treat children or adolescents. (We recommend contacting your insurance provider for assistance in finding an in- network provider in your area).
One can easily reset a locked patient portal by clicking the “Forgot Password” option or by calling your doctor’s assistant directly.
We respectfully decline to see clients who only seek completion of their paperwork (disability paperwork, FMLA, etc.) at the initial consultation or within 2-3 sessions following the initial consultation. Our providers might help you with supportive paperwork, only at their discretion and after establishing care with the client over a period of 3-6 months (if they find it appropriate and deem it necessary). IBHM psychiatrist and therapist will charge you separately for any paperwork they complete based on the time spent to complete that paperwork. Charges for paperwork are out of pocket and entirely your responsibility. To learn more about the charges please refer to the Out-Of-Pocket section of our financial policy in the documents section of the patient portal. Please note that our providers at IBHM do not accept forensic cases.
You do not need any documents or Identification, However while registering as a new patient, you will be required to provide your insurance details if you select “Yes” for Insurance. (if you do not share your insurance details it is understood it will be a self pay)
We use the HIPAA certified Zoom platform for all appointments. A separate zoom link is shared with the patient well before the appointment so they can join the booked session with the respective provider.
Yes, we offer telehealth appointments which are covered through insurance. This coverage might change if state or insurance guidelines change.
Appointment needs to be booked first either through our website www.ibhm.us or via phone. (Please note we only have in person in Palo Alto and San Francisco on specific days with specific providers, for all other locations, we only offer telehealth appointments)
Our website www.ibhm.us has a list of providers with their details which will help a new patient to determine the best fit for them. Alternatively, one can also call our Intake department at 8663624246 and our highly trained co-ordinator will assist further.
Initial consultations are generally for either 45 or 60 minutes. All other follow up appointments are generally for 30 /20 minutes.
The very first session includes a detailed discussion between the patient and the doctor regarding symptoms, diagnosis, dos and don’ts, medications (past and current), and a detailed healthcare regimen following a follow-up appointment.
New patients can register online on our website www.ibhm.us and request an appointment. Alternatively, you can call 8663624246 and speak with our intake coordinator to schedule an appointment. New patients typically receive a response within 1-2 business days.
Your first visit is a comprehensive evaluation lasting 60-90 minutes. Your provider will review your medical history, discuss your concerns, and work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan.
New patients receive a portal invitation via email after scheduling their first appointment. If you haven't received your invitation, please contact our office for assistance.
billing
Billing & Insurance
Yes! You can pay the patient responsibility via Zelle. The payment link for Zelle is payments@ibhm.us All payments through ZELLE do not attract any processing fee & are governed by ZELLE’s terms and conditions
All major credit & debit cards, including Visa, Master, Amex, Discover, FSA, SA, and HSA, are accepted. Payment processors or acquiring banks levy a surcharge, sometimes referred to as a credit card processing fee or payment processing fee, in exchange for accepting and processing credit or debit card payments. The processing cost often falls within the 2.8% to 4.0% range. At IBHM, if you pay by your credit/debit card the processing fee is 3% charged by the payment gateway (This charge is not taken by IBHM). You can avoid the surcharge by paying the patient responsibility via ZELLE. The payment link for Zelle is "payments@ibhm.us". All payments through ZELLE do not attract any processing fee & are governed by ZELLE’s terms and conditions.
After processing every claim your health insurance will share a EOB with you. An explanation of benefits (EOB) is a statement from your health insurance company that shows the explanation of what medical services you've had, how much your plan paid for them, how much is the patient's responsibility, and what charges are not covered by your plan.
Copay: A copay is a fixed amount of money that you pay out of your own pocket for a specific medical service or medication. It is a cost-share between you and your insurer .This copay amount is usually mentioned in your health insurance policy document. Deductible: The insurance deductible refers to the amount of money that you will have to pay out of pocket each year before the insurance company starts paying. Coinsurance: Coinsurance is the cost-share ratio between you and the insurance company. It is the amount, generally expressed as a fixed percentage, an insured must pay towards a covered claim. The coinsurance is usually mentioned in your health insurance policy document.
Unfortunately, we are not in-network with Medicaid/ Medi-Cal. We accept most major insurance plans like Medicare, Tricare, Anthem, Blue Shield of California, Cigna, Aetna, Humana, Optum, United Healthcare, Allignment, Multiplan. However, insurance plans vary by providers, please call us to ensure the provider you are booking an appointment with accepts your insurance plan.
Yes, we accept Medicare.
We work with most of the commercial insurances to make mental health care accessible and affordable for our patients. Currently, we are in-network with: Medicare Tricare Anthem Blue Shield of California Cigna Aetna Humana Optum United Healthcare Alignment Multiplan Please Note: Insurance plans vary by providers. Please contact us to ensure the provider you are booking appointment with, accepts your insurance plan
Yes, you can book an appointment if the insurance does not cover it. However, the charges will be Out of Pocket and the patient's responsibility will become 100%. The Out of Pocket charges are based on the duration of the appointment. The fixed charge of a 60 minutes appointment is $550. Likewise, if a service is for 30 minutes then the charge will be $275. However, special cases may vary.
We require 24-hour notice for cancellations or rescheduling. Late cancellations or no-shows may be subject to a fee. Please refer to our clinic policies for specific details.
existing patients
Existing Patients
In order to make a change in the current treatment plan please feel free to discuss the issue with your currently treating provider or you can also leave a detailed message with the admin assistant. NOTE: Our treatment plans are completely based on symptoms, diagnosis and medical history.
Your treating psychiatrist can raise an internal request to enroll you in group therapy. Alternatively, if you think you need our specialized group therapy, you can also inform your provider. Provider admin support will refer your name and complete the enrollment process. Once completed, the entire session schedule will be shared with you.
Yes, upon signing a Release Of Information (ROI) form your mental health provider can coordinate care directly with my primary care physician.
You can find the release of information form under the document section in the patient portal. Please login to my.ibhm.us and click on 'Forms/Documents'. Release of information is the process of providing access to protected health information (PHI) to an individual or entity authorized to receive it. There can be several reasons for the release of information, including medical treatment purposes, medical billing, insurance billing, etc.
You can officially request a copy of the medical records or psychiatric notes either via patient portal - my.ibhm.us or you can contact your doctor’s admin assistant.
If you experience any unexpected side effects, stop taking the medication immediately and inform your provider. Contact them via the secure messaging system on the patient portal (my.ibhm.us) or the provider’s admin assistant. You can also request an appointment with your doctor; available slots will then be shared with you. NOTE: For extreme cases, dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Please note the following follow-up appointment schedules: - Patients on controlled substances: Follow-up required once every 3 months. - Patients not on controlled substances: Follow-up required once every 6 months.
To request a medication refill, log in at my.ibhm.us and select "Refill a Medication," message your provider's admin staff through the portal via the "Messages" option, or call 650-770-1402 to speak with the admin assistant directly. Refills can take up to 5 business days to process, so please submit your request at least 3 business days before running out. For more details, review the "Medication Refill Policy" in the Documents section of the patient portal.
Yes, you can directly send a secure message to your doctor’s admin assistant via the “Messages” option through the patient portal - my.ibhm.us.
You can update your insurance information through the patient portal or by contacting our front office. Please notify us of any changes before your next appointment.
policies
Clinic Policies
We offer telehealth services to our patients through a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform, allowing you to attend appointments remotely while residing in California.
Currently we are not offering in-person outpatient clinic services in Southern California, including Los Angeles and Orange County.
Our North California office address - 4149A El Camino Way, Ste 101 Palo Alto, CA 94306. Yes, we have parking available.
For formal feedback or a satisfaction review you may receive a text message allowing you to document and rate the service provided. Alternatively, you can write an email to - support@ibhm.us.
No, our telehealth and in-person medical services are not available in languages other than English.
No, we do not provide any inpatient psychiatric services or detox programs at your outpatient locations.
Our clinic protects your private healthcare information in compliance with HIPAA by implementing administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to prevent unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. Key measures we take to protect your privacy include: - Access Control & Training: We restrict access to medical records strictly to authorized personnel who require it for their job responsibilities, and we conduct ongoing staff training on patient privacy and security. All our healthcare professionals are HIPAA certified. - Permitted Disclosures: Protected health information is disclosed only as permitted or required by law - primarily for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations—or with your explicit authorization. - Data Security & Rights: We maintain robust policies for addressing potential data breaches and ensuring your rights to access and obtain copies of your health records.
We do not charge a cancellation fee if you cancel or reschedule the appointment at least 48 business hours before the actual appointment date. However, cancelling or rescheduling an appointment within 48 hours of the actual appointment date is considered a late cancellation and any missed appointment will be considered a no-show. If the appointment is cancelled or rescheduled between 1-2 business days before the actual appointment date, the late cancellation fee is $25.00.If the appointment is cancelled or rescheduled within 1 business day of the actual appointment date, the late cancellation fee is $75.00. If you miss an appointment, the no-show charge is $125.00.
Since we are an outpatient clinic, we are unable to provide services during holidays and outside office hours. In the event of an urgent situation or an emergency, if your provider is not available to return your call, please don't wait for a phone call back. Immediately call 911 or go to your nearest Emergency Room. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency or is in a life-threatening situation, please call 911. You may also call the national Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Our office is open from Monday to Friday between 8 AM and 5 PM PST. We are closed on all national holidays and weekends. Please Note: Since we are an outpatient clinic, we cannot provide services during holidays and outside office hours. Please call 911 in case of an emergency.
Currently we are not providing TMS or Ketamine therapy at our clinics.
Our clinic provides a range of mental health services, including therapy, counseling, psychiatric evaluations, naturopathy and medication management.
We are committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with HIPAA regulations. Your information is kept confidential and is only shared with your written consent or as required by law.
Patients who miss appointments without 24-hour notice may be charged a no-show fee. Multiple no-shows may result in discharge from the practice.
We always follow a highly measured protocol for controlled substances. A. We do not order any controlled substance upon request. A controlled substance is only ordered if a provider finds it necessary based on the diagnosis and treatment plan. B. To ensure timely refills of controlled prescriptions, a medical evaluation appointment is necessary every 2-3 months. NOTE: Some providers prefer refilling a controlled substance only after a monthly appointment.
misc
Miscellaneous
We offer various group therapy programs depending on location and demand. Contact our office to learn about current group offerings.
Several of our providers are bilingual. Please inquire about language availability when scheduling your appointment.
We welcome your feedback! You can share your experience through our patient satisfaction surveys, the patient portal, or by contacting our office directly.
Still Have Questions?
Our team is happy to help answer any questions not covered here.