FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I expect at my first appointment?

At your first appointment, our primary job is to listen to you. We’ll ask you to share your perspective on the concerns that brought you to therapy. We’ll ask about your life experiences, family background and current circumstances. Together, we’ll discuss and create a tentative plan for your therapy sessions. We will ask you to review, complete and return a few informational forms prior to your initial appointment. For your convenience, we have posted these forms on our Resources & Clinic Forms page.

If you would like us to bill your insurance for our services, we will also need a copy of your card. All of these items may be returned to us by email at uca@uplandscounseling.com or to either of our locations through the postal service.

How do I choose a Clinician?

Please check the biographies on our website to review each clinician’s specialties. This will help you select the right clinician for your needs. Your insurance company may also have a referral system to direct you to a specific clinician. Choosing a clinician is a personal decision. If you are uncomfortable with the clinician you begin working with, you may choose to see a different clinician.

What are your rates? Do you have a sliding scale?

We accept most major insurance plans including HMOs. Our rates vary depending on the length of your appointment, the training of your clinician and the service provided. We offer a discount to those who choose to pay at the time of service (“out-of-pocket” without involving their insurance company). We do not offer a sliding fee scale for our services.

Card on File Policy – Effective July 8, 2024

We are committed to providing you with exceptional care, as well as making our insurance billing processes as simple and efficient as possible. With the changing environment in healthcare, more responsibility of payment is being placed on the patient in the form of copays and deductibles.

In this environment, we have implemented a policy to require a credit card (e.g. a Debit, Credit, or Health Saving Account card) be held on file for payment of balances as they are due. Clients who are exempt due to enrollment with Medicare and/or Medicaid plans are welcome to, but not required to maintain a card on file.

The client’s insurance is billed first. Then, upon determination of benefits, we will charge the card when informed of patient responsibility for any remaining balance. This card on file policy will not compromise your ability to dispute a charge or question your insurance company’s determination of payment.

Will my insurance cover my therapy?

Our Madison and Dodgeville clinicians are preferred providers for the following:

  • Anthem/BCBS
  • Dean Health Plan
  • Group Health Cooperative
  • Medicaid
  • Medicare
  • Optum (UHC, UMR, and UBH)
  • Quartz
What about confidentiality

Confidentiality between you and your clinician begins the moment you schedule your first appointment. The only exceptions to confidentiality are those mandated by the State of Wisconsin. Our Privacy Practices form clarifies the limited and rare circumstances that legally require our staff to disclose information without your explicit consent. These circumstances include:

  • Legally mandated reporting of any form of child abuse or neglect
  • In the event that a person presents a serious risk of harm to themselves or others
  • Elder abuse situations
  • Certain court proceedings
  • If requested by the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing
  • You will need to sign a specific Release of Information Form before any information can be released to a third party.

Please Note: All insurance companies require clinical information to be released to them before they process claims. You may want to discuss with your clinician whether you want to have this information released to your insurance company. If you want to protect your privacy further, you may choose to pay at the time of service (“out-of pocket”) for your session and not involve your insurance company.

Where are you located?

Please visit our contact page for location and contact information.

How long do I have to wait for my first appointment?

Availability of particular clinicians varies depending upon their current case load and schedule.

How many sessions will my therapy take?

This is best discussed with your clinician so that your treatment needs and goals are met. However, all of our clinicians are trained in brief, solution-focused therapy which averages six to eight sessions.

Is my child too young for therapy?

Young children can be treated for depression, anxiety, behavior and emotion regulation challenges, grief, peer conflict, trauma or attachment issues. For most issues, therapy works best when children have facility with language or can express themselves through play. Parents are often in the best position to help their child. For that reason, we strongly encourage parental involvement in the therapy process.

What is the No Surprises Act and a Good Faith Estimate?

The No Surprises Act was passed by Congress in December 2020 to protect people from surprise medical bills. The initial rules went into effect on January 1, 2022. The No Surprises Act is meant to help people understand what their medical care will cost them. There are three (3) parts to the No Surprises Act.

Part I

  • Protects people who are covered by health insurance and receive emergency and non-emergency services from an “Out of Network” (OON) health care provider at an “In Network” clinic or facility. An OON provider is no longer allowed to charge you (called “balance billing”) for the “Out of Network” fees that your health insurance won’t cover.

Part II

  • If you do NOT have health insurance (you are uninsured) or you DO have health insurance, but you DO NOT want to use it (you plan to self-pay) Part II requires ALL health care providers, including Uplands Counseling Associates (UCA), to give you a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) of the expected cost of your care. This includes non-emergency procedures, services, and items such as medical visits or therapy appointments, prescription medications, equipment, and hospital fees.
  • It establishes time frames for providing people a GFE.
  • It provides a process for people to dispute a bill that is $400 or more over the GFE.

Part III

  • Sets new rules for group health plans about prescription medications. Group health plans and insurance companies MUST provide information to people about the cost of prescription medications.

For more information, visit our Forms and Resources page.