Clear terms, in plain language.

Telehealth & PSYPACT

This practice is fully virtual. All sessions are conducted over a secure, HIPAA-compliant video (or audio-only) platform.

Dr. Tameer holds an Illinois clinical psychology license (#071.010884) plus PSYPACT E.Passport and APIT authorization, which permit telepsychology in all PSYPACT-participating states. To begin care, you must be physically located in a PSYPACT state at the time of session. If you travel, please let the practice know. Sessions may need to be paused.

Telehealth consent, in summary. A few practical points about virtual care, with full details in the intake packet:

• Technology can occasionally fail. If a connection drops, we agree in advance on how to reconnect or follow up.
• You confirm your physical location at the start of each session, and you provide an emergency contact and the address where you are sitting so help can be directed if ever needed.
• You are responsible for finding a private, secure space on your end so your sessions stay confidential.
• If you are physically located outside a state where Dr. Tameer is authorized to practice, sessions may need to be paused until you return to an authorized location.

Fees

Service	Fee
Individual psychotherapy (standard 55-minute session) (for health insurance covered clients)	Standard contracted rates with health insurance provider
Private-pay psychotherapy (typically 60 minutes; up to 90 minutes by advance request when clinically appropriate and available)	$200/hour
Brief check-in phone call established clients only; up to 25 minutes; when not otherwise included or covered	$20
Late cancellation / no-show	$100
Brief letter	$100
Standard documentation letter	$150
Extended letter / report	$150+
Third-party forms (ESA, disability, FMLA, etc.)	$200+

Documentation work is invoiced separately from sessions. Extended EMDR or NMT sessions, when clinically indicated, are billed pro-rated to the standard fee.

Private-pay care at the $200/hour rate reflects a traditional psychotherapy model blended with a higher-touch, concierge-style administrative and care-coordination experience within the boundaries of the practice policies. This does not create 24/7 availability, crisis coverage, or unlimited between-session clinical support.

Insurance

The practice is in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and Aetna PPO through Headway. Headway verifies your benefits, handles claims, and processes copays directly. United Healthcare is limited to existing grandfathered clients only and is terminating in 2027; new United clients are not being accepted at this time.

For other eligible plans with out-of-network mental health benefits, the practice may operate out-of-network in partnership with Thrizer. Thrizer submits out-of-network claims on your behalf and, when your plan allows, collects only your true cost-share at the time of session, so you're not waiting on reimbursement checks. No superbills to chase down.

Scheduling, rescheduling & cancellations

Sessions are scheduled at a recurring weekly time when possible. Rescheduling is built around the half of the month your session falls in:

• First half of the month (1st–15th): if you cancel a session, reschedule by the 15th to avoid the $100 late cancellation / no-show fee.
• Second half of the month (16th–end): if you cancel a session, reschedule by the last day of the month to avoid the $100 late cancellation / no-show fee.
• Late fees are waived if you're able to reschedule within the applicable window.
• Rescheduling is limited to existing openings on the calendar Additional slots aren't guaranteed. If I need to cancel a session, I'll offer alternative times.
• Late arrivals: if you are more than 15 minutes late without contact, the appointment may be treated as a no-show, and the cancellation / no-show policy above may apply.

Life happens. Please reach out. Patterns are addressed collaboratively in session rather than enforced rigidly.

Between sessions. Email and the client portal are best for brief, administrative matters—scheduling, billing questions, and logistics. Clinical concerns, processing, and anything that needs real attention are best saved for our session, where there is time to address them well. These channels are not monitored continuously and are not for emergencies.

Confidentiality & HIPAA

All clinical information is protected under HIPAA and the Illinois Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act (MHDDCA, 740 ILCS 110). Where the two laws differ, this practice applies whichever standard provides greater protection to the client. Records are not released without your specific written authorization, except where required by law (mandated reporting for child or vulnerable-adult abuse, imminent risk of serious harm, or valid court order).

A general release of medical records is not sufficient to authorize the release of mental-health records under Illinois law. Blanket authorizations are not accepted; each release uses a standalone MHDDCA-compliant authorization form.

Limits of confidentiality. There are a few situations where the law may require, or permit, disclosure of limited information without your authorization:

• When mandated reporting laws require it (see below).
• When there is an imminent risk of serious harm to you or another identifiable person, and disclosure is needed to protect safety.
• In response to a valid court order or subpoena, where disclosure is legally required.
• In an emergency, to coordinate care or contact appropriate help.
• During professional consultation with a colleague, where identifying details are minimized to protect your privacy.

Mandated reporter notice. Dr. Tameer is a mandated reporter and is required by law to report suspected abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult, or serious safety concerns, as the law requires. Full details are provided in the intake packet.

Documentation & letter requests

Dr. Tameer provides disability documentation, accommodation support letters, and assistance animal documentation when clinically appropriate and within an established therapeutic relationship. These are evaluated on individual merits and are not issued routinely.

Documentation needs, anticipated or known, must be disclosed on the consultation form or during the consultation call, whichever comes first. This is not optional. A client who completes onboarding without disclosing a documentation need and subsequently presents that request with urgency early in the relationship will be referred out. This is not punitive. It is a recognition that the absence of transparency at intake combined with external pressure shortly after isn't a foundation for productive therapeutic work.

If a documentation fee presents a genuine financial barrier, a fee waiver or reduced fee may be discussed on a case-by-case basis. Raise it directly rather than avoid the conversation.

AI-assisted documentation

The practice uses Upheal to help auto-generate session notes. Your audio is never recorded. Upheal is HIPAA-compliant, operates under a Business Associate Agreement, and does not train models on session data. If you are not comfortable with this, we can explore other options or I can provide a referral.

What this practice does not provide

• Emergency psychiatry or 24/7 crisis counseling
• Medication management or prescription services (refer to Zocdoc or Headway for licensed prescribers)
• General custody evaluations or forensic psychological evaluations
• Disability determinations without a formal evaluation
• Court-ordered evaluations (except by prior written agreement)
• General forensic expert witness services outside Dr. Tameer's established areas of expertise
• Letters supporting active litigation
• Services to minors (this is an adult-only practice)

Ending or transferring care

Therapy is meant to be time-limited and goal-directed. Services may end when treatment goals are met, when needs fall outside this practice's scope, after an extended period of inactivity, when the telehealth setting is no longer clinically safe or appropriate, or when the practice is no longer the right fit. When that happens, Dr. Tameer works with you on referrals and continuity of care so you are not left without support.

Records retention

Clinical records are kept for as long as required by applicable Illinois and federal law, HIPAA documentation requirements, insurer or audit obligations, and professional practice guidance, and are then disposed of securely. Specific retention periods are described in the intake packet.

Social media & contact boundaries

To protect your privacy and the therapeutic relationship, Dr. Tameer's personal social media is not a clinical contact channel. Friend requests, follows, and direct messages on social platforms may not be accepted or monitored. Please use the channels established at intake for scheduling and clinical communication.

This page is a plain-language summary. The full intake packet, including informed consent, telehealth-specific disclosures, and the Notice of Privacy Practices, is provided before your first session.