Appointments and Payments

All services are provided by appointment only.

To schedule an appointment or obtain more information about our services, you can call, email, or complete our online inquiry. Below are instructions for each:

• Call 601.266.4588. If you are not able to reach a receptionist directly, you can leave a confidential message and someone will return your call as soon as possible. 
• Email CBHFREEMississippi and a receptionist will contact you via email or phone as soon as possible.
• Complete our online form and a receptionist will contact you via email or phone as soon as possible. Please note that this portal is deactivated during semester breaks and during hours the CBH is not operating.

• Therapy fees for community members range from $10-$50 a session and are based on a sliding-scale fee schedule. USM students currently enrolled are offered therapy services for $10 a session.
• Assessment fees are $350 for community members. We offer a reduced assessment rate of $225 for USM students, faculty, and staff.
• Group therapy is offered at a rate of $5.00 for each group session. Initial intake appointments for groups are $15. 

If you are quoted a fee that is not financially feasible for you or your family, please communicate this to the staff member you are speaking to. In select circumstances, we may be able to adjust fees for clients experience specific and significant financial hardships, as this fosters our mission to increasing access to quality mental health care in our community.

• Online payments are available and preferred via our payment portal. If you are unable to use online payment options, you may send a check to our clinic. Checks can be made out to USM Center for Behavioral Health.
• Unless otherwise set up with your clinician, payments is expected at the time services are provided. In addition, a “failure to cancel” fee (equal to ½ rate of a therapy session fee, or $10 for assessments) will be charged if a scheduled appointment is not cancelled at least four hours in advance.
• CBH is not networked with insurance panels. We can only accept self-pay for services and are not able to bill any insurance providers. We can provide an itemized invoice for individuals if they would like to try to get reimbursed from their insurance providers.

The CBH does not accept or file to insurance providers. However, we are required to inform you of the federal act of No Surprise Billing. Information about this is below.

Right to a Good Faith Estimate

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost.

Under section 2799B-3 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) enacted as part of the federal No Surprises law, individuals who fall into the categories listed below must be provided with estimates of expected charges for medical items and services before the scheduled services are to be performed.

• Do not have insurance/uninsured 
• Do not intend to use insurance to pay for scheduled non-emergency health care services/self-pay, or 
• Request a Good Faith Estimate 

The Good Faith Estimate provided shall be for the total expected cost of any health care items or services upon request or when scheduling such items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and facility fees. 

Timeframe for Good Faith Estimates

If you schedule a health care item or service at least 3 business days in advance and you wish to have a Good Faith Estimate, make sure your health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within 1 business day after scheduling. 

If you schedule a health care item or service at least 10 business days in advance, make sure your health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within 3 business days after scheduling. 

You can also ask any health care provider or facility for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. If you do, make sure the health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within 3 business days after you ask. 

Good Faith Estimate Disputes

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more for any provider or facility than your Good Faith Estimate from that provider or facility, you can dispute the bill by calling the Patient Relations Department at 865-584-4747. 

Please make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate and the bill. 

For Questions or Additional Information 

Visit https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises for more information about your rights under federal law, email FederalPPDRQuestions@cms.hhs.gov , or call 1-800-985-3059. 

Visit https://www.midhelps.org/insurance-guide/balance-billing/ for more information about your rights under Mississippi state law. 

Your Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills

When you get emergency care or are treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from balance billing. In these cases, you shouldn’t be charged more than your plan’s copayments, coinsurance and/or deductible.

What is “balance billing” (sometimes called “surprise billing”)?

When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, like a copayment, coinsurance, or deductible. You may have additional costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.

“Out-of-network” means providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan to provide services. Out-of-network providers may be allowed to bill you for the difference between what your plan pays and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in -network costs for the same service and might not count toward your plan’s deductible or annual out-of-pocket limit.

“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care—like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider. Surprise medical bills could cost thousands of dollars depending on the procedure or service. 

You’re protected from balance billing for:

Emergency services: If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most they can bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services.

Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center: When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers can bill you is your plan’s in -network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed. If you get other types of services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance bill you, unless you give written consent and give up your protections. 

You’re never required to give up your protections from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get out-of-network care. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network. 

When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have these protections: 

• You’re only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductible that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay any additional costs to out-of-network providers and facilities directly.
• Generally, your health plan must:
  • Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (also known as “prior authorization”).
  • Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers.
  • Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in -network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits.
  • Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your in -network deductible and out-of-pocket limit.

If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may file a complaint with the federal government at https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers or by calling 1-800-985-3059. You may also contact the applicable state enforcement authorities, including the Mississippi Insurance Department at 1-800-562-2957 or https://www.mid.ms.gov/consumers/file-complaint.aspx