Client Policies

Therapeutic progress cannot be made without regular, consistent attendance. We recognize that families need to change their schedules unexpectedly due to illness or emergencies. We ask that you respect therapist time by calling Therapy OPS to reschedule appointments with as much notice as possible (at least 48 hours for expected absences such as vacations, school events, conflicting appointments etc.).

Please call Therapy OPS as soon as possible to reschedule your child’s appointment in the event of illness. Therapy OPS requires at least 24 hours of fever-free time before your child can return to therapy. Please use your discretion if your child may be contagious with other illnesses. Therapy OPS staff reserve the right to reschedule a child’s appointment in the event they suspect the child is ill.

We understand that there are times when you must miss an appointment due to emergencies or prior obligations. However, non-emergency cancelations must be reported at least 48 hours before the scheduled appointment and rescheduled where possible. If you cancel with less than 48 hours prior notice before a scheduled appointment without rescheduling, you may be subject to a cancellation fee. If a family has a combination of three or more appointments cancelled and/or no-show appointments within an eight-week timeframe, the family will be removed from their scheduled timeslot and put on a flexible schedule. Any rescheduled appointments will not count towards the cancelation/no-show total. Continued, habitual cancelations and no-shows will result in a termination of the therapy for the child.

We value vacation time and camps as they offer great experiences for families and the clients with which we work. However, in order to ensure your child’s continued progress as well as remaining fair to the families on the waiting list, any absences longer than 2 weeks will require payment for missed sessions that are not rescheduled. If payment is not made, your child will be placed on the waiting list based on the date of the last session attended.

Therapists require time at the end of each appointment to clean, complete notes and arrive at the next appointment on-time. To accomplish those tasks, it’s vital that caregivers are on-time for pick-up. An appointment pick-up is considered late if caregivers are not at Therapy OPS five minutes before the end of the appointment (25 or 55 of the hour). If the caregiver arrives less than five minutes before the end of the scheduled appointment, the caregiver will be considered late and will not receive an update on the appointment from the therapist. If a caregiver is late more than three sessions within an eight-week timeframe, a caregiver will either be required to stay at Therapy OPS for the duration of the session or the child will lose the scheduled timeslot.

If the client's regular therapist cannot be at a scheduled appointment, every effort will be made to obtain a substitute therapist so that treatment is not interrupted. If an appointment must be cancelled by Therapy OPS, we will do so at the earliest possible time and will attempt to reschedule. Therapy OPS therapists may occasionally rotate schedules for one week in order to better collaborate and treat the clients. Your scheduled appointment time will not change; but the therapist treating that day will. Not only will this allow for improved care, but it will also give your child the opportunity to practice flexibility

Insurance benefits will be reviewed before the initial evaluation/session. Therapy OPS may provide you with a quote for services. Please note that quoted benefits are not a guarantee that therapy will be covered. Because each client’s diagnosis and plan of care are individualized, caregivers should not assume quotes will ensure payment for the services rendered. Failure to inform Therapy OPS of any changes in coverage may result in a caregiver being solely responsible for any incurred charges not paid for by your insurance.

PAYMENT POLICY

Copayments - Copays are due at the time of service. If a caregiver fails to pay the copay, it will be added to the monthly statement and may result in an additional fee. Any questions regarding copays should be directed to the applicable insurance company.

Monthly Statements - Monthly statements are printed on the last business day of the month and all fees are due by the 20th of the following month. A $10 late fee will be applied to the next statement for any bills not paid within fifteen days after the applicable due date. If there are questions about a bill that are related to insurance coverage, please call the insurance company directly.

Insurance - Caregivers are responsible for all services rendered that are not paid in full by the insurance company. This may include deductibles, copayments, out-of-network charges, or any services that are denied. Therapy OPS may retro-actively bill secondary insurance (including, but not limited to Medical Assistance) for sessions up to 3 months from the date that the caregiver officially notifies Therapy OPS of the child's acceptance from such secondary insurance. Therapy OPS reserves all rights to request private pay from the caregivers even if secondary insurance is available during that period.

Private Pay Policy - Caregivers may pay for the child's therapy services privately. Payment is due in full prior to each therapy session. If a caregiver registered a child for group therapy, payment for all sessions is due in full prior to the first session. Therapy OPS reserves the right to remove a child from group therapy if the payment is not received prior to the first session.

Therapy OPS may communicate and correspond with you via e-mail regarding teletherapy on a regular basis (e.g., home programming, session invitations, etc) if you consent to such communication. At times Therapy OPS may transmit personal and confidential information to a caregiver regarding a child’s treatment. Therapy OPS will use reasonable means to protect the security and confidentiality of e-mail information sent and received; however, Therapy OPS cannot guarantee the privacy and security of such information. It is a caregiver’s duty to protect the e-mail account, password, and computer against access by unauthorized access. Therapy OPS is not and will not be liable for anyone inappropriately using or accessing an e-mail account. A caregiver may revoke the authorization for Therapy OPS to communicate with by email at any time by written request. Teletherapy sessions are hosted on a HIPAA compliant platform and Therapy OPS uses reasonable means to protect the security and confidentiality of sessions that take place. However, Therapy OPS cannot guarantee the privacy and security of the client’s internet connection. It is a caregiver’s duty to protect the internet against unauthorized access and connection. Therapy OPS will not be liable for anyone observing the sessions if a client or caregiver chooses to participate in such session while in a public setting. A caregiver may revoke the authorization to participate in teletherapy sessions at any time by written consent.

All data collected, created, maintained, or disseminated by Therapy OPS will be governed by the Minnesota Government Data Practiced Act and will be in compliance with Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act. Please refer to the Notice of Privacy Practices outlining Therapy OPS’ policies on data privacy practices. Caregivers will be required to annually update the registration forms, authorization to release medical information, and acknowledgement of Therapy OPS' policies.

RESPECTFUL COMMUNICATION POLICY:

Respectful Communications Policy aims to provide clear and effective guidelines for the way in which all clients, caregivers and Therapy OPS communicate with one another. Respectful, positive and effective communication between Therapy OPS and caregivers is central to providing a mutually supportive environment that will enable clients to excel in therapy. Please be respectful and mindful in your communications with Therapy OPS. Unacceptable Conduct is considered contrary to Therapy OPS’ policies and may subject to immediate termination of the client relationship and/or fines.

Unacceptable Conduct is defined as and includes but is not limited to the following actions and communications:

▪ Bullying, harassment, intimidation, or threats of any type

▪ Repetitive harassing and/or disrespectful communications of any type

▪ Making negative, discriminatory, or derogatory comments about, or statements deemed detrimental to the welfare of, any individual or group.

▪ Divulging confidential information or any other matter of a sensitive nature

▪ Undertaking activity that is meant to alarm other individuals or to misrepresent fact or truth

I understand and agree that such photographs and/or video recordings may be placed on the internet depending on my selections above. I also understand and agree that I or my child will not be identified by name without my consent. I waive the right to approve the final product. I agree that all such portraits, pictures, photographs, video and audio recordings, and any reproductions thereof, and all recording tape and digital files are and shall remain the property of Therapy OPS.
I hereby release, acquit, and forever discharge Therapy OPS from any and all claims, demands, rights, promises, damages, and liabilities arising out of or in connection with the use or distribution of said photographs and/or video recordings, including but not limited to any claims for invasion of privacy, appropriation of likeness, or defamation. I have read and I understand this document. I understand and agree that it is binding on me and my child. I acknowledge that I am eighteen (18) years old or more and that I am the parent or guardian of the child named below.

1. REPRESENTATION. I represent that I have legal authority and custody of the above named family member and have the right to make decisions as to his/her care, as well as decisions regarding his/her legal rights.

2. VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION. I understand and confirm that my or my family member’s participation in the therapeutic servicesand/or use of the facility is completely voluntary.

3. AGREEMENT TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS. I agree to observe and obey all posted rules and warnings at the facility and further agreeto follow any rules given by Therapy OPS LLC, the employees, or its representatives while on the property/facility.

4. ASSUMPTION OF THE RISKS AND RELEASE. I recognize that the use of the facility and equipment as well as the nature of servicesand therapy provided that there are certain inherent risks. While the therapist will use every precaution to attempt the safety of the therapy, I understand that the therapy may still hold risks, including but not limited to injury due to physical exertion, falls, or choking. As such, I assume all risks, known or unknown, foreseeable and unforeseeable and take full responsibility for any liability, personal injury to myself and my family members, loss, or damage in any way connected with my or my family member’s participation or presence at the facility and further release and discharge Therapy OPS LLC, its employees, owners, agents, or representatives for any liability, injury, loss, or damage arising out of my or my family’s use of or presence upon the facilities of Therapy OPS LLC, whether caused by the fault of myself, my family, Therapy OPS LLC, or other third parties.

5. INDEMNIFICATION. I agree to indemnify and defend Therapy OPS LLC, its employees, owners, agents, or representatives against all claims, causes of action, damages, judgments, costs or expenses, including attorney fees and other litigation costs, which may in any way arise from my or my family’s use of or presence upon the facilities of Therapy OPS LLC. I further agree to pay for all damages to the facilities of Therapy OPS LLC caused by any negligent, reckless or willful actions by me or my family.

6. MEDICAL AUTHORIZATION. In the event of an injury to the above minor family member during the described activities or while on the facility grounds, I give my permission to Therapy OPS LLC, its employees, or representatives to arrange for all necessary medical treatment, including transportation to a medical facility deemed necessary for the well being of the minor family member, for which I understand that I shall be financially responsible.

7. APPLICABLE LAW/VENUE SELECTION. I understand and agree that this Waiver/Release of Liability/Consent to Medical Attention shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota, and that any action arising hereunder may be brought only in a court of competent jurisdiction located in Dakota County, Minnesota, and I hereby consent to such exclusive jurisdiction.

8. NO DURESS. I agree and acknowledge that I am under no pressure or duress to sign this Agreement and that I have been given a reasonable opportunity to review it before signing. Any questions or concerns that I have were answered by Therapy OPS LLC. However, I further agree and acknowledge that if I choose not to sign this Agreement, Therapy OPS LLC will not provide the recommended services.

9. ARM’S LENGTH AGREEMENT. This Agreement and each of its terms are the product of an arm’s length negotiation between the Parties. In the event any ambiguity is found to exist in the interpretation of this Agreement, or any of its provisions, the Parties, and each of them, explicitly reject the application of any legal or equitable rule of interpretation which would lead to the construction either “for” or “against” a particular party based upon their status as the drafter of a specific term, language, or provision giving rise to such ambiguity.

10. ENFORCEABILITY. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement, whether standing alone or as applied to a particular occurrence or circumstance, shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement or of any other applications of such provision, as the case may be, and such invalid or unenforceable provision shall be deemed not to be a part of this
Agreement. I further agree that if this waiver and release is not valid as such in Minnesota, it shall be construed as a covenant not to sue.