FEES FOR PRIVATE PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
FEES
Effective July 1, 2021 the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia (APNS) set the recommended fee for psychological services provided by registered psychologists at $210 per hour.
Nova Scotia’s MSI (Medical Services Insurance) Program does not currently cover costs of private psychological services. However, many private health insurance plans such as Medavie Blue Cross, Great West Life, and Sunlife often cover some or all of the fees associated with seeing a registered psychologist. It is recommended that you contact your insurance provider prior to booking your appointment with us to determine your coverage.
We provide direct billing services for counselling sessions when possible. For assessments, we do not direct bill as it is often advantageous for families to seek reimbursement directly from their insurance company once the assessment is complete to maximize their benefits. Receipts will be provided to you to submit to your insurance company.
Please keep your receipts as fees not covered by your health insurance plan may be tax deductible as a medical expense.
No tax or HST is applied to psychological services.
Payments can be made by debit, etransfer, Visa, or MasterCard.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY
The following questions may be helpful when speaking to your insurance provider regarding psychological services:
Do I have coverage for psychological services provided by a registered psychologist?
Do I need a referral from a physician in order to access my coverage?
Who in my family is covered and for what amount?
What is my coverage? What percent of the fee does my insurer cover?
Do I have hourly coverage or lump sum coverage? Will my plan cover the multiple hours spent over 1 to 2 days with a psychologist to complete an assessment (lump sum) or does my plan only cover one hour at a time even though there were 3 to 6 hours of service that day (hourly coverage)?
Are indirect psychological services covered such as report writing?
When does my coverage renew?
Can I spread out the costs of psychological services over two years such as having sessions in December of one year and then sessions in January of the next year?