Harmony Medical Associates
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FAQ

Do I need a referral to get an appointment?

You do not need a referral to come in for an evaluation. You can call and set up an appointment for yourself or your child if needed. Sometimes the primary care physicians may send a referral for appointments.

On your first visit the doctor will ask about the difficulties and issues affecting you. At the end of the visit, he will explain to you the concerns and will discuss the various treatment options. If any medication is recommended, he will explain the risks and benefits.
It depends on the acuity of the clinical condition and treatment recommendations. If a medicine is prescribed, it is monitored closely at the beginning to make sure you are not experiencing any uncomfortable side effects. Most of patients return for a visit once every 1 to 3 months if they are stable and doing well on their medication.

While a medical licensure sets the minimum competency requirements to diagnose and treat patients, it is not specialty specific. Board certification demonstrates a physician’s exceptional expertise in a particular specialty and/or subspecialty of medical practice. This endorses a board certified physician’s commitment and expertise in consistently achieving superior clinical outcomes in a responsive, patient-focused setting. Patients, physicians, healthcare providers, insurers and quality organizations look for the board certification as the best measure of a physician’s knowledge, experience and skills to provide quality healthcare within a given specialty.

When it comes to mental health, expertise matters. At Harmony Medical Associates, your care

is led by a board-certified psychiatrist—a medical doctor (MD) with extensive training in diagnosing and treating complex psychiatric conditions. Unlike nurse practitioners, psychiatrists

complete four years of medical school, followed by four years of residency specializing exclusively in mental health and 2 years of Fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry .

Board certification further demonstrates a commitment to the highest clinical standards and ongoing professional excellence. This extensive level of training allows for deeper diagnostic insight, greater expertise in managing medications—including complex cases—and a more nuanced understanding of how mental health interacts with overall medical care. Choosing a board-certified psychiatrist ensures you receive the most informed, evidence-based, and comprehensive care possible. 

At Harmony Medical Associates, we operate as an out-of-network provider, which means we are not contracted with insurance companies and are not paid directly by them. Instead,

payment is made directly at the time of service.

This model allows us to:

  • Provide uncompromised, personalized care
  • Avoid the limitations of insurance-driven treatment decisions
  • Focus entirely on what’s best for your mental health

Many of our patients have out-of-network benefits through their insurance plans and are often

reimbursed 70% to even 100% of their visit costs. Though we are not in-network with insurance providers, we advocate for prior authorizations for all necessary, newer-generation medications to support your treatment plan.

We’ll guide you through the reimbursement process — from providing detailed invoices (superbills) to helping you understand how to submit claims to your insurer. You are not alone

— we’re here to help every step of the way.

At Harmony Medical Associates, choosing out-of-network care means prioritizing personalized, high-quality treatment—free from the restrictions of insurance-driven care.

Why patients trust and choose us:

Unrestricted, Individualized Care

We’re not limited by insurance-mandated treatment plans. This allows us to provide evidence-based, personalized strategies tailored to your unique mental health needs.

Better Long-Term Outcomes

Our comprehensive approach helps address issues early and effectively, reducing the risk of chronic symptoms, repeated treatment, and long-term healthcare costs.

Your Well-Being Comes First

Every clinical decision is based solely on what’s best for you—not on what an insurance company will cover.

Though we are not in-network with insurance providers, we advocate for prior authorizations

for all necessary, newer-generation medications to support your treatment plan. Payment is due at the time of service, and we’ll equip you with everything needed to seek out-of-network

reimbursement from your insurance. We are here to support you every step of the way.

After the assessment the doctor will be able to discuss with you the options for treatment that may include medication, or therapy. The treatment plans are individualized to meet the goals for your treatment and improving your functional capacity and maintaining optimum health.
Medications have become a mainstay for many psychiatric conditions. It is important to use them promptly if the conditions are causing distress and difficulty in functioning. Many people tolerate psychotropic medications without difficulty, but it must be acknowledged that they can also have unpleasant side effects. As such, it is important to use psychotropic medications only when they are really necessary, and whenever possible, other approaches should be considered.

Yes. At Harmony Medical Associates, we strongly advocate for our patients—regardless of insurance network status. If your prescribed medication requires prior authorization, our team will work directly with your insurance company to submit the necessary documentation and clinical justification.

Even though we may be out of network, we believe in ensuring you receive the most effective, evidence-based treatment available. We do our best to support prior authorization requests and appeal denials, when necessary, especially for high-cost or specialty psychiatric medications.

Please note:

  • Approval timelines vary by insurer and medication
  • Some medications may require additional documentation or step therapy trials
  • We’ll keep you informed throughout the process

 

Your care is our priority, and we’re committed to helping you access the treatment you need.

Psychotherapy commonly called “Talk Therapy” is a modality of treatment prescribed separately or in combination with medications. It may utilize insight, persuasion, suggestion, reassurance, and instruction so that patients may see themselves and their problems more realistically and have the desire to cope effectively with them. It aims to increase the individual’s sense of their own well being.
There are various types of psychotherapy such as cognative behavior therapy (CBT), family therapy, supportive therapy,interpersonal therapy, brief therapy and psychodynamic therapy. Recommendation for therapy is based on individual needs and issues addressed in treatment.

The mental health benefits are usually different from the benefits for general medical visits. We do work with insurances but many insurance companies require a call from the patient for a pre-authorization for services before your initial appointment.

Please call your insurance to verify the benefits for mental health treatment.

Coverage determinations and payments of claims are subject to all the eligibility, coverage, exclusions, and limitations listed in your contract. We strongly encourage verifying your network benefits prior to your initial consultation.
We understand these circumstances, please call the office for more information and self pay visit.
In some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action. Working with us, we can determine what is best treatment options for you. It is well established that the long-term solution to mental health issues and emotional problems cannot be solved solely by medication alone. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. If medication is needed, doctor will explain the needs, benefits side effects so you are comfortable with your treatment decisions.

If you must change or cancel your appointment, please do so at least 24 hours in advance by calling the office directly. If you are unable to cancel your appointment at least 24hours in advance, you will be charged a $50.00 fee. This policy is in respect of the time dedicated to your care, scheduling, paper work and most importantly time commitment that could be available to someone else in need for services.

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as HMA strives to provide the best possible quality care to all of our patients.

Harmony Medical Associates
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