Insurance Payment Assistance

All patients seeking behavioral health care services at Journey to Wellness Counseling are assured of being served regardless of their ability to pay. No one is refused service due to a lack of financial means. This program is designed to provide free or discounted care to those who are uninsured or underinsured and have limited means to cover their medical expenses.

Journey to Wellness Counseling offers a sliding scale fee program to those unable to pay for services. Program eligibility is determined based on each individual’s ability to pay, and services are provided without discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The Federal Poverty Guidelines are used to establish and annually update the sliding fee schedule (SFS) that determines eligibility for payment assistance.

Eligibility

Discounts are based solely on income and family size.

a. Family is defined as a group of two or more people (one of whom is the householder) related by birth, marriage, or adoption and living together. Journey to Wellness Counseling will also consider non-related household members when calculating family size.

b. Income includes gross wages, salaries, tips, business and self-employment income, unemployment compensation, Social Security, workers’ compensation, Supplemental Security Income, veterans’ payments, survivor benefits, pension or retirement income, interest, dividends, royalties, rental income, alimony, child support, assistance from outside the household, and other sources.

Income Verification

Applicants may provide one of the following: prior year W-2, two most recent pay stubs, a letter from their employer, or Form 4506-T (if W-2 was not filed). Self-employed individuals are required to submit detailed income and expenses for the most recent three months for their business. Adequate information must be provided to assess eligibility for the program. Self-declaration of income is accepted, and patients unable to supply written verification may provide a signed statement of their income.

Discounts

Those with incomes at or below 100% of the federal poverty level will receive a full 100% discount for healthcare services. Individuals with incomes above 100% but at or below 200% of the poverty level will be charged a nominal fee according to the sliding fee schedule provided. This fee schedule will be updated every first quarter of the calendar year based on the latest FPL guidelines.

Nominal Fee

Patients with incomes exceeding 100% of the poverty level but at or below 200% will be charged a nominal fee based on their family size and income according to the sliding scale fee program. However, patients will not be denied services due to an inability to pay, and this nominal fee is not a minimum charge for care.

Waiving of Charges

In certain cases, patients may find themselves unable to afford the nominal or discounted fee. Waiving of charges must be approved by a designated official at Journey to Wellness Counseling, and any waived charges will be documented in the patient’s file with an explanation.

Applicant Notification

The Sliding Fee Discount Program determination will be communicated to applicants in writing, detailing the percentage of discount provided or the reason for denial if applicable. If a less than 100% discount is approved or the application is denied, Journey to Wellness will collaborate with the patient to establish payment arrangements. Applications will cover outstanding patient balances for the six months preceding the application date and any balances incurred within 12 months thereafter, unless a significant financial change occurs. Applicants can reapply after 12 months or if there is a substantial change in family income, with the look-back period being the lesser of six months or the expiration of their last Sliding Fee Discount Program application.

Refusal to Pay

If a patient expresses unwillingness to pay or leaves without payment, they will receive written notification of their payment obligations. If the patient is not enrolled in the sliding fee schedule, they will receive a copy of the Sliding Fee Discount Program application with the notice. If the patient does not respond or make payment efforts within 60 days, this will be considered refusal to pay. At this stage, Journey to Wellness can explore various options, including payment plans, waiving of charges, or referral to collections.

Programa de Descuento con Escala Móvil

No se negará a ninguna persona el acceso a los servicios debido a su incapacidad para pagar.

Hay disponible una escala de tarifas con descuento basada en el tamaño de la familia y los ingresos.

Journey to Wellness Counseling ofrece un Programa de Descuento con Escala Móvil para pacientes elegibles. La elegibilidad se basa únicamente en los ingresos y el tamaño del hogar. El programa está disponible para pacientes elegibles sin seguro o con seguro insuficiente.

Su tarifa se determina conforme a nuestra Escala de Tarifas vigente. Solicite una solicitud en la recepción. Los solicitantes pueden proporcionar documentación razonable para verificar los ingresos; si la documentación estándar no está disponible, el personal puede hablar con usted sobre una opción de declaración de ingresos.

*Sliding fee scale application can be found at the link below

Sliding Fee Discount Application.pdf