LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN BILLING PATIENTS AND COLLECTING FEES

As much as psychologists may want to focus on providing psychological services to patients, they must also consider the financial sides of t heir practices. Psychologists need guidelines for handling fees and de aling with insurance companies. This article is designed to review the legal and ethical issues in billing patients, filing insurance claims , and collecting fees. Its goal is to reduce the likelihood that patie nts, insurance companies, and psychologists will have disputes over fe es and reimbursements. This article also provides guidelines on how ps ychologists should proceed when financial disputes arise.