> can you send a claim off for just one visit to your insurance?

What a brilliant idea!
Yes. I should do that. I need to claim a GP visit and a couple prescriptions anyway (since that cost me over $100 and I should get about half of that back). I should just send that off when I send off the rest. Thanks for the great suggestion!

> It seems like the secretary would have established a standard protocol for how to bill insurance when the client is on sliding scale.

P-doc tells me he has done sliding scale before but... I don't think he has. I think he just told me that he has so I don't feel too special. I say this because firstly, he didn't even call it 'sliding scale' and seemed to kind of go 'aha!' when I did. Secondly, because he had to talk to his secretary about how to bill me - she really didn't seem to have any idea what the hell he was trying to do.

The main issue is that the majority (probably all) of the people he sees in his private practice are Australian Citizens. That means that they are entitled to Medicare. I don't think that he sees many others for therapy (though of course he tells me he does so I'm reassured that he is competent and so I don't feel too special). So... Their getting the fee back from medicare for a standard psychiatrists visit (to get a prescription) is no problem at all. I'm with a private insurance company, however, so things work a little differently with me especially with respect to the kinds of things that are covered by my insurance.

Thank you.