Our Fees
Insurance Plans and Tax Deductions
Nova Scotia’s Medical Services Insurance (MSI) does not cover the services of psychologists in private practice. However, many people are pleased to learn that a portion of their fees may be covered through their health plans, such as Great West Life, Medavie Blue Cross, Manulife, Sunlife, etc. It will be important that you contact your insurance provider before booking an appointment to find out exactly what services are covered. A list of questions that you should ask is given below. Please note direct billing is not available. We will give you a receipt to submit to your insurance company.
Fees not covered by health plans may be an income tax deduction as health care expenses. Be sure to save your receipts and keep them with your income tax forms.
Questions to Ask Your Insurance Company
Check your wallet card for your group policy number and personal identification number. Questions to ask include:
- Does my insurance plan cover psychological services provided by a registered psychologist?
- What language or wording is required on my invoice for reimbursement? (for example, psychoeducational assessment or psychological services)
- Do I need a referral from a physician to qualify for coverage?
- What percentage of the fee does the insurer cover? Note: the remainder may be eligible as a tax deductible, income tax expense.
- Have I already used up my coverage for this year? When does my coverage renew?
- Can I spread out the costs of psychological services over two years? For example, by having sessions in December of one year, and more sessions in the following January?
- Do I have hourly coverage or lump sum coverage? (for example, if I see the psychologist for a full day assessment will my plan cover the multiple hours spent with the psychologist [lump sum] or will my coverage only pay for one hour at a time with the psychologist even though there were 6 hours of service that day [hourly coverage]?)
- Does my insurance cover only one to one direct service, or are other psychological services such as report writing covered?
- Can I submit my receipts at a quick pay station for same day reimbursement, or online as a more convenient way to be reimbursed? Is there a limit to the amount reimbursed at a quick pay station or online?
Assessment Fee Reimbursement through Canada Student Grant
If you are a college or university student and are diagnosed with a learning disability (LD) by the psychologist, you may be able to get some of the assessment fee reimbursed through the Canada Student Grant. Please note that there is no guarantee that you will be given an LD diagnosis, or that you will be eligible for the grant. You must still pay the assessment fee up front in order to be reimbursed. For more information about the Canada Student Grant, check with the Disability Services office at your college or university.
School-related Assessments
Our fees for school-related assessments are comparable with other psychologists in the province. Fees cover the cost of:
- interviewing,
- a full day of testing,
- scoring and interpretation of tests,
- a review of documents,
- consultation with other professionals as needed,
- preparation of the assessment report which includes recommendations,
- a feedback session, and
- a meeting with school personnel if desired.
Typically, 15-20 hours of work are involved in an educational assessment. The fee for a psychoeducational assessment is typically between $3150-$3600; however this can vary depending on age. The fee may be reduced if a case is less complex than expected. The hourly fee for psychologists in Nova Scotia is $225. Visit our School-related Assessment section for more information.
Neuropsychological Assessments
Fees for neuropsychological assessments are comparable with other psychologists in the province. Our fees typically start at $4080 but vary depending on the complexity of the case. This fee includes the cost of related interviewing, a full day of testing, scoring and interpretation of tests, a review of documents, consultation with other professionals as needed, preparation of the assessment report, and often a final consultation.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Assessments
Fees for ASD assessments are comparable with other psychologists in the province. Fees vary depending on the individual client, age and type of assessment required.
Coaching Fees
Coaching provided by a registered psychologist is offered at an hourly psychological coaching rate of $225/hr.
Payment
We prefer to have fees paid by debit or VISA/MasterCard. Cheques are accepted. You may also pay by e-transfer. Fees are usually paid in two installments. The first payment is made at the first session and the second at the last session. Please discuss the best arrangement for payment with the psychologist.
Cancellations
Appointments can be rescheduled without a fee if there is a storm or a sudden illness. Appointments for interviews, feedback or coaching sessions can be rescheduled or canceled with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice. We require a minimum of 1 weeks’ notice if you have to reschedule or cancel your in-office assessment day. This allows us to offer the assessment date to an individual on our waiting list. Appointments can be cancelled by calling us at 902-445-3851, emailing admin@ericabaker.ca or intake@ericabaker.ca, or contacting your psychologist directly. Please refer to email communication from our office for direct contact information.
Inadequate notice of cancellation, or not showing up for an appointment, will result in a charge to your credit card. This equates to 20% of the cost of the in-person assessment day (5 hours); for interviews or feedback sessions the charge will be 50% of the cost of the session. For coaching clients, less than 24 hours’ notice will result in a charge of 50% of the cost of the session. This charge is to offset the cost of our reserving the appointment time for you, the preparation time of the psychologist, and administrative costs that are incurred. Please note that your invoice will state “missed appointment” and most insurance companies will not reimburse for this cost. Unpaid balances will be invoiced and billed to the credit card on the clients’ account; outstanding balances are paid prior to further appointments being scheduled.