EAST COAST TELEPSYCHIATRY

Online Mental Health Services

At East Coast Telepsychiatry, we provide telepsychiatry services using the latest technology to ensure secure and confidential consultations for our patients. Our services fully comply with HIPAA standards, and patients can receive treatment from the comfort of their preferred location.

Select a Provider Below:

Amy Pharr APRN, Director - Provider
Pharr Amy - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Amy Pharr is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner of 28 years and a certified Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner of 18 years. Ms. Amy provides psychiatric services to “Self-Pay” and insured patients in SC, NC, FL, VA, MD, NY, and most other states and IV therapy to patients in SC. She looks forward to serving you and helping you become the best person you can be, utilizing a holistic and comprehensive care approach.

Schedule Appointment

Chinasa Ezinne Oriaku PMHNP

Dr Chinasa Ezinne Oriaku - East Coast Telepsychiatry - ECT-TX ONLY

Chinasa Oriaku is a certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner seeing patients located in Texas for East Coast Telepsychiatry. Ms. Oriaku has 29 years of combined experience as an RN and a Nurse Practitioner and also practices at the Dallas, TX Veterans Administration Mental Health inpatient unit. Ms. Oriaku is a “Self-pay” provider but will soon accept many of the most common insurances in Texas.

Schedule Appointment

Adam Howell, Therapist

Adam Howell East Coast Telepsychiatry ECT - Med Therapist

Adam Howell received a Master’s Degree from Radford University in Counseling and Human Development. He is a licensed Mental Health Counselor and has provided services to children, adolescents, and adults for over ten years. Mr. Howell is an outpatient therapist specializing in motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral therapy. He loves helping people grow strong mentally and offers many ways to do so.

Schedule Appointment

EAST COAST TELEPSYCHIATRY

Online Mental Health Services

At East Coast Telepsychiatry, we provide telepsychiatry services using the latest technology to ensure secure and confidential consultations for our patients. Our services fully comply with HIPAA standards, and patients can receive treatment from the comfort of their preferred location.

East Coast Telepsychiatry Mental Health Providers

At East Coast Telepsychiatry, we take pride in carefully assembling our exceptional team of service providers, each possessing a wealth of experience and expertise in their respective fields. Our collaborative approach ensures that we address the unique needs and concerns of every client, providing them with the most effective and appropriate care.

“We work with each individual by assessing their current mental health, and if needed, selecting the best treatment methods available in an effort to get you stable and begin the healing process.”
Amy Pharr

Amy-Pharr---ECT-MEDAmy Pharr APRN, Director – Provider

Amy Pharr is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner of 30 years and a certified Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner of 20 years. Ms. Amy provides psychiatric services to “Self-Pay” and insured patients in SC, NC, FL, VA, MD, NY, and most other states and IV therapy to patients in SC. She looks forward to serving you and helping you become the best person you can be, utilizing a holistic and comprehensive care approach.

Insurance & Self-Pay

Dr Chinasa Ezinne Oriaku - East Coast Telepsychiatry - ECT-TX ONLY Chinasa Ezinne Oriaku
PMHNP

Chinasa Oriaku is a certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner seeing patients located in Texas for East Coast Telepsychiatry. Ms. Oriaku has 29 years of combined experience as an RN and a Nurse Practitioner and also practices at the Dallas, TX Veterans Administration Mental Health inpatient unit. Ms. Oriaku is a “Self-pay” provider but will soon accept many of the most common insurances in Texas.

Self-Pay

Adam Howell East Coast Telepsychiatry ECT - Med Therapist Adam Howell
Therapist

Adam Howell received a Master’s Degree from Radford University in Counseling and Human Development. He is a licensed Mental Health Counselor and has provided services to children, adolescents, and adults for over ten years. Mr. Howell is an outpatient therapist specializing in motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral therapy. He loves helping people grow strong mentally and offers many ways to do so.

Self-Pay

Is Mental Health Important?

Mental health is of paramount importance in today’s fast-paced, demanding world. At East Coast Telepsychiatry, we understand that a healthy mind is the cornerstone of personal well-being and overall life satisfaction. The significance of mental health extends beyond the individual, impacting relationships, communities, and workplaces.

ECT is Here to Help You on Your Journey!

Mental health includes Emotional, Psychological, and Social Well-Being.

Mental health has always been a crucial aspect of well-being, but the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the need for high-quality services. The unprecedented crisis has led to a significant rise in behavioral health challenges, leaving countless individuals grappling with feelings of despair.

Promptly seeking psychiatric and psychological support can mitigate disruptive, unusual, or inappropriate behaviors one may be experiencing, paving the way for a return to a balanced and healthy life.

Completing Intake Forms and Payments

East Coast Telepsychiatry is committing to help our patients to the best of our ability.  To do so, we ask that you complete all forms in their entirety.  All forms are emailed or can be texted to you and can be completed in typically about ten minutes.  You will receive information from EAST COAST TELEPSYCHIATRY, KAREO (our medical operations system) or STRIPE (our payment processor).  Once your appointment is made, please check your email and SPAM folders.  If any of the emails are in SPAM, please mark as “Not Spam”.  All forms and payment must be completed at least 48 hours PRIOR to your appointment.  For appointments made within the 48-hour window, all forms and payments must be completed at least TWO HOURS PRIOR to your appointment.

Once all forms are completed in their entirety, you then submit them back to us by simply hitting the “COMPLETE and SUBMIT” button. Your information is then reviewed and entered directly into your patient chart.  Please be honest when completing your forms.  We need as much detail as possible, so that we may fully understand your Mental Health needs and so that we can offer the best care available.  If there are questions that do not apply, please put “N/A”, or if you are uncertain about a question, you can simply put “UNKNOWN”.  Please ensure to upload the photo of your driver’s license or state issued identification card so that we may authorize prescriptions if they are needed.  If you do not have either, we will address that issue on a case-by-case basis.

Therapy Programs

We have several Therapy programs at East Coast Telepsychiatry.  All Therapy appointments are conducted via Telepsychiatry/Remote access only.  We do NOT have “In the Office” visits.  To conduct your visit, you need a camera and microphone equipped desktop, laptop, or a smartphone.  Once your appointment is made and confirmed, we will provide you with a “link”.  Five minutes prior to your scheduled appointment, you will simply click the link provided.  Once you are in the virtual waiting room, your therapist will join in shortly.  Our goal is to be on-time on all visits.  We ask that you help us to do so by completing all forms and make any appropriate payment at least 24 hours prior to your visit, and that you be on-time for you scheduled visit.  We offer Individual Therapy sessions as we all Group Therapy offerings.  Our programs cover Grief, Depression, Stress, Anxiety, and many other areas affecting our mental health. Different packages are available other than those listed if deemed appropriate between yourself and our Therapist, Jennifer Griffin.  If you have specific question about our Therapy programs, please call our office at (843) 299-2033 and choose extension 5 to speak with Ms. Griffin.

Therapy Pricing:

30 Minute Individual Therapy Sessions = $60.00

60 Minute Individual Therapy Sessions = $120.00

Group Sessions are typically between 45 and 60 minutes.  Each group session is only $40.00 per person and is also conducted by remote access from the comfort of your own home, workplace, or even while on vacation.  There may be as few as two people in a group, or as many as ten, depending on the day, time of the group, and scheduling.

We also offer a GROUP THERAPY PACKAGE.  The package includes four sessions for the discounted price of $120.00.  This price is for the people who are committed to bettering themselves and saves a person $40.00 per month.  We are a cash/self-pay practice and unfortunately do not accept insurance currently.  We are however in the process of securing the acceptance of the most common insurances used today and expect to begin insurance acceptance in approximately 90 days.  All visits are conducted via Telepsychiatry/Remote access.

Mental Health/Psychiatric Visits
The “New Patient” visit is only $259.00 and includes: A Full Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis by our provider, Ms. Pharr. Ms. Amy Pharr is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with 28 active years of experience working in the healthcare industry. We then implement a treatment program that will be created specifically for each person. We are a full-service practice and use medication management if needed, based on the decisions made between our patients and East Coast Telepsychiatry. New patient visits consist of a video session, typically 10-30 minutes, depending on severity. After the video visit, the provider completes your note, sends prescriptions, and completes your chart, which makes the entire process 45-60 minutes for our staff. If you have “In-Network” insurance, we verify your co-pay, deductibles, and coverage and even process your claim. If you are out of network, we can provide receipts for your payment that you can use to try and seek reimbursement from your carrier. All visits are conducted via Telepsychiatry/Remote access.

A “Follow-up” visit is only $159.00. These appointments generally last 10-20 minutes, and are typically monthly, or as decided between yourself and your provider, Ms. Amy Pharr. Follow-up visits can be as often as needed, or as little as needed, depending on your case. The Follow-up visit will include a complete review of your specific situation. Together we will evaluate progress made and discuss any issues that you feel may help with your program. We will then either continue your current treatment program or make any adjustments as needed to strengthen your Mental Health. Any medications prescribed can then be renewed, discontinued, or adjusted as, and if needed.

How Visits are Conducted
All patient visits with East Coast Telepsychiatry are conducted via Telepsychiatry/Remote access only.  We do NOT have “In Office” visits.  To conduct your visit, you need a camera and microphone equipped desktop, laptop, or a smartphone.  Once your appointment is made, we will send you the appropriate intake forms, an invoice, and an invitation to join the “PATIENT PORTAL”.  Once all forms are completed, your time will be “Confirmed”, and we will provide you with a visit “link”.  Five minutes prior to your scheduled appointment, you will simply click the link provided.  Once you are in the virtual waiting room, your provider will join in shortly.  Our goal is to be on-time on all visits.  We ask that you help us to do so by completing all forms and make any appropriate payment at least 24 hours prior to your visit, and that you be on-time for you scheduled visit.  Same day appointments for New Patients are available if time permits to complete your intake forms and make payment prior to your scheduled visit.  Typically, it takes less than 10 minutes to complete the online forms and make payment.  For any “SAME DAY” appointments, please call our office at (843) 299-2033, ext. 4 so that we can ensure all steps are completed to conduct your visit.
Discounted Rates for Self-Pay

We offer discounted rates for those who do not have insurance. The New Patient rate of $259 and subsequent Follow-Up visits that are $159 may also be discounted. Please mention these discounts when scheduling if you are a self-pay patient to ensure you get the best rates offered. Past visits can not be adjusted so please inquire when scheduling!

Our Standing Policy for New Patient Visits who have Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)

We want to inform you about the billing process for your Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) policy.
Currently, we are unable to confirm specific details of your benefits, copay, and other related
information. However, we can provide the following guidelines for our services:

1. Initial Visit Copay: For the initial visit under BCBS, we charge a copay of $129. The
standard rate for this visit is $259.00. After we receive the remittance from BCBS, we will adjust
your charges accordingly. If your actual copay is determined to be lower, we will promptly
reimburse the difference.

2. Maximum Charge Guarantee: If it turns out that your copay should have been higher,
please rest assured that we will not charge more than $129 for your first visit.

3. Policy Status: We have confirmed that your BCBS policy is active. However, specific
details about future copays or deductibles will only be available after BCBS processes the first
remittance.

4. Follow-Up Visits: In cases where you are out-of-network or have a high deductible plan,
we offer a reduced rate of $129 (instead of the usual $159) for follow-up appointments.

5. Self-Verification Option: If you prefer to verify the copay details directly with BCBS,
you can contact them using the NPI number 1275537037 and Tax ID 86-2592256 for Amy Pharr.

We understand the importance of this information but are currently unable to dedicate the
resources to lengthy hold times for phone verification, which can average between 90 to 160
minutes. We appreciate your understanding and are here to assist with any further questions or
concerns you may have regarding this process.

Our Approach & Philosophy

At East Coast Telepsychiatry, our approach is centered around providing accessible, compassionate, and personalized mental health care to individuals across the East Coast. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve mental well-being, regardless of location, background, or financial constraints.

Our philosophy is rooted in the understanding that each person’s mental health journey is unique. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, we connect clients with our team of highly qualified and empathetic professionals who are dedicated to offering customized treatment plans that cater to each individual’s specific needs and goals.

We recognize the importance of fostering a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment for our clients. Our team of experts continuously stays up-to-date on the latest advancements in the field of mental health to provide evidence-based therapies and interventions, ensuring the highest standards of care.

East Coast Telepsychiatry is committed to empowering individuals to take charge of their mental health and guiding them towards a brighter, more resilient future. We strive to break down barriers, eliminate stigma, and create lasting change by nurturing strong connections and delivering exceptional mental health care, one video call at a time.

Important Update on Insurance Processing
Due to Recent Cybersecurity Incident

Dear Valued Patients,

 

We hope this message finds you well. We are reaching out to inform you of a significant development that may affect your upcoming appointments and insurance billing due to a cybersecurity incident impacting Change Healthcare, a key technology provider in healthcare transactions and communications.

Change Healthcare, an integral part of Optum and owned by UnitedHealth Group, has recently experienced a cyber-attack. This incident has disrupted their services, which include processing payment claims between providers and insurance companies, as well as facilitating electronic prescriptions across the United States.

As a result of this situation, East Coast Telepsychiatry, along with numerous healthcare providers nationwide, must temporarily adjust the range of insurance providers we can accept. Specifically, we are unable to process claims for patients insured under UnitedHealthcare, UHC, OPTUM, UBH, Cigna, Evernorth or any related entities until further notice.

We understand the inconvenience and concern this may cause. To ensure you are informed about how this may directly impact you, we encourage you to review additional details about the cyber-attack. For a comprehensive understanding, searching "Change Healthcare Cyber-Attack" online will provide a wide array of information on the subject.

Effective immediately, we regret to inform you that patients with the aforementioned insurance will need to transition to self-pay for their appointments. Our adjusted rates during this period are $109 for follow-up visits and $159 for new patient appointments, reflecting a temporary reduction from our standard self-pay rates.

This decision was not made lightly. As a family-owned practice, our ability to provide care is contingent on operational sustainability. Without the ability to process these insurance claims, we must adapt to ensure our continued service to you.

Should the situation with Change Healthcare be resolved promptly, we will immediately revert to our standard insurance processing practices. We are closely monitoring the situation and will keep you updated on any changes.

For patients affected by this change, we will provide detailed receipts for services rendered, which you may submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement. Please note, the ability of UnitedHealthcare to process these reimbursements may be affected by the ongoing cyber-attack.

We sincerely appreciate your understanding and patience during this challenging time. Our commitment to providing you with quality care remains unwavering, and we are here to support you through these adjustments.

Please reach out to us via email at info@eastcoasttelepsychiatry.com or call us at (843) 299-2033. Our team is ready to assist you with any questions you may have regarding your insurance coverage and to provide you with the most up-to-date information.

Thank you for your continued trust in East Coast Telepsychiatry.

Warm regards,

East Coast Telepsychiatry

CNBC article for reference: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/29/change-healthcare-cyberattack-has-caused-financial-mess-for-doctors.html

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