payment for services

All counselors accept payment via credit card or cash (exact amount only); checks are not accepted.

Payment for all services, including insurance co-payments, is expected at the time of service.

private pay services

Services are available on a private pay basis. The standard fee is $100-$150 per session, depending on the counselor providing services.

insurance

The counselors at New Perspectives participate in several health insurance networks. A list of health plans and the counselors in each network is below; however, this list may not be all-inclusive. It is the responsibility of the client or their responsible party to confirm whether a particular counselor participates with your insurance provider and policy type. We strongly recommend contacting your insurer by calling the number on the back of your insurance card to confirm this information.

Counselor participation by insurance Network

Blue Cross Blue Shield (Alabama, as well as other states, including the University of Alabama Student Insurance plan 2024-2025)
Heather MacLeod
Elise Ezelle
Chip Garrett

Cigna/Evernorth
Bethany Pritchett
Heather MacLeod
Elise Ezelle
Chip Garrett

ComPsych (EAP & insurance)
Heather MacLeod
Elise Ezelle
Chip Garrett

Medicare B
Heather MacLeod
Elise Ezelle

Medicaid (Alabama policies only, client age 20 and younger requires a physician referral document)
Bethany Pritchett (ages 5-20 only)
Elise Ezelle (ages 5-20, or adult with Medicare B)
Heather MacLeod (ages 18-20 only, or adult with Medicare B))

United Healthcare, including EAP, Optum, UHC Student Resources, UMR, etc.
Heather MacLeod
Elise Ezelle
Chip Garrett

Uprise Health (EAP & insurance)
Heather MacLeod
Elise Ezelle
Chip Garrett

Viva Health
Chip Garrett

third party administrators

Some employers contract with a third party administrator (TPA) that manages behavioral health services (including counseling services) separately from the health insurance plan. Sometimes this is noted on the back of the insurance card as a separate contact number for “mental health” or “behavioral health” services. We also recommend contacting the member services number on the back of the insurance card to confirm benefits, as representatives will connect you to the TPA if one is contracted.

Some employers which we know utilize TPAs with which New Perspectives’ counselors are NOT in-network are listed below, along with the direct contact information for the TPA’s member services department.

  • MBUSI (Mercedes-Benz): Behavioral Health Services, 800-245-1150

  • Randall-Reilly: Behavioral Health Services, 800-245-1150

Out-of-network insurance reimbursement

For clients who wish to see a counselor at New Perspectives and carry an insurance with which we are not in-network, it may be possible for the client to receive at least partial reimbursement for services from their insurer. In these situations, the client will be asked to pay New Perspectives directly, and we will provide a “superbill” that can be submitted to the insurer by the client to for whatever portion of reimbursement is offered by the plan.

employee assistance programs

Many employers in the Tuscaloosa County area offer their employees and qualifying family members access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefit. An EAP provides access to a limited number of confidential counseling sessions at no cost to the employee or family member. If you are not sure whether you have an EAP benefit, please check with your employer’s human resources or benefits department.

Missed appointments

We always request that clients notify their counselor of the need to cancel an appointment at least 24 hours in advance; to help with this, our client portal sends email reminders 48 hours in advance and text reminders 24 hours in advance of each appointment (unless the client opts out of receiving the reminders). An appointment cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice is considered a late cancellation.

All missed sessions or sessions cancelled/rescheduled less than 24 hours in advance may be subject to the following fees:
- No charge for the first occurrence
- $50 for the second occurrence
- Full fee for all subsequent occurrences

These fees are not covered by insurance or Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs); they are the sole responsibility of the counseling client or their responsible party.

Fees will be automatically charged to the credit card on file unless other payment arrangements are made at the time of cancellation.

good faith estimates

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers (including counselors and therapists) and health care facilities are required to provide some clients a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges. This applies to any individual (or responsible party) who plans to pay for their own care because they:

  • The counseling client is not enrolled in an insurance plan nor receiving coverage from a State or Federal health care program

  • The counseling client has insurance but is not seeking to file a claim with their plan

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your care will cost. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.