Current Events > So what could happen me if I refuse to pay a psychologist's cancellation fee?

(+) Yeah! (+)

So long story short, shit has been rough for me in life lately. Stresses, health problems, a very demanding school program, family drama, etc. So I started seeing a therapist as a means to help me cope with anxiety/depression/yada yada. Ive done 2 visits with him and haven't been impressed so far. Funny one of my themes of the last session was me complaining of lack of sleep, over-demanding school schedule, and health problems. Well the night before my session, I ended up staying up all night studying for a major exam I had this morning. On top of that, I got some sort of stomach crud that gave me the shits, fatigue, and slight nausea all night. So I called and cancelled my appointment 1st thing in the morning and got an answering machine. Explained the circumstances, basically said if I went up there after school; I would either be asleep in their chair or on the toilet the entire time.

Haven't heard back from them but I know its a 20$ cancellation fee. Thinking about honestly never going back though as I didn't really find it that beneficial to begin with. What could happen if I don't? Think I could get turned into a bill collecting service?
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$20? Don't pay it. That dude is making like 1000x that an hour. I bet there isn't even a cancelation fee and the secretary just tells that to people and pockets the money because that $20 is probably an insulting amount to your psychologist.
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If you didn't sign anything about it before hand, don't worry about it.
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lilORANG posted...

$20? Don't pay it. That dude is making like 1000x that an hour. I bet there isn't even a cancelation fee and the secretary just tells that to people and pockets the money because that $20 is probably an insulting amount to your psychologist.

I hate to say but its pretty common for therapist to charge cancellation fees. So I dont doubt if its legit. Doctor's offices do it as well. Its because of the ol addage "time is money". When they schedule a client in for one slot, that slot is filled and they cant schedule another one there. Well when the initial client cancels (especially soon), that slot is unused and the practice gets no money for it. Lost potential. So they do the cancellation fee as a means to find some sort of reimbursement at the client's expense.

For me though, it would be different if I wanted to keep seeing the guy. But I was already on the fence. And again, its funny as he seemed to be real sympathetic to me during last session when I was lamenting my health issues, lack of sleep, hectic schedule, and difficulty juggling it all. But I bet his office would still expect me to show none the less, half asleep and shitting everywhere. Sucks, really steers me away from trying therapy anymore. It becomes just another obligation/responsibility on a list of issues I got going on right now. As opposed to an aid.
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Fossil posted...

If you didn't sign anything about it before hand, don't worry about it.

Well shit, I don't know if I did or not. I signed a few forms my first visit. Willing to bet, that was snuck in there.
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I understand billing for a no-show as they would typically have blocked off the allotted time and can't have any more clients during that time as you could show up late
but for giving a heads up, at least for the first time, you should get the fee waived (I imagine it's good for therapists to maintain boundaries, but also it can't be good for mental health to get charged for not even receiving the service)

anyway, yeah it really depends on the office. some could just drop it, some could jot it down in their files for future purposes, and yeah some could just give you to a bill collector
did you sign a contract? did you give them your card number? cause they could be authorized to charge you anyway
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Cheko2015 posted...

Fossil posted...

If you didn't sign anything about it before hand, don't worry about it.

Well shit, I don't know if I did or not. I signed a few forms my first visit. Willing to bet, that was snuck in there.

even if you did sign something, they're not going to come after you. They can technically sue you for it or take it to a collection agency but that would cost way more than $20 is worth >_>

it's just there to prey off suckers who actually pay it.
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prince_leo posted...

anyway, yeah it really depends on the office. some could just drop it, some could jot it down in their files for future purposes, and yeah some could just give you to a bill collector
did you sign a contract? did you give them your card number? cause they could be authorized to charge you anyway

I dont believe I signed a formalized contract. At most I signed a "notice" stating the fee policy, maybe even an "agreement". But I dont know, I dont remember if I did or not. They don't have my credit card number though. I just swipe it every visit and they dont keep the details, I dont think they do anyways? We will see, I guess I can just call up there and ask whats going on.. Maybe they might waive it for me as a first time issue.
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