12.0 FEES Flashcards
12.1 General obligation
a) respect the client’s right to know what fees and charges will be charged;
b) set reasonable fees and charges; and
c) collect these fees and charges with consideration for the welfare of the client
12.2 Providing accurate fee information at the outset
At the commencement of professional services, a registrant must:
a) ensure that full information is provided to the client about financial arrangements, including, but not limited to, fee structure, missed appointments, interest on overdue accounts, and bill collection; and
b) not mislead or withhold from the client, a prospective client, or a third party payer, any information about the cost of the registrant’s professional services.
12.3 Fee basis
A registrant must base their fees on the amount of time spent in rendering professional services to the client, on the nature and complexity of the services rendered, and on the cost associated with providing such services.
12.4 Inappropriate basis for fees
A registrant must not base their fees upon the likelihood of material or other benefit(s) accruing to the client as a result of professional services rendered.
12.5 Credit cards
A registrant must not require the use of a credit card for payment for professional services
12.6 Interest on overdue accounts
A registrant may charge interest on an overdue account for professional services if the client is appropriately informed, in advance, as to the amount and method of calculating interest.
1 2.7 Discretion on interest
The amount of time given by a registrant for interest free payment must be guided by the circumstances, and the rate of interest charged must be consistent with current professional practices.
12.8 No prepayment for services
A registrant must not require prepayment for professional services.
12.9 Exception to 12.8: Retainer in trust
Despite Standard 12.8, if the client and the registrant agree, the registrant may hold a retainer in trust, but must only apply such trust funds to the payment of agreed fees and charges for professional services rendered.
12.10 Withholding records
Except as otherwise provided by law, a registrant must not withhold records under their control when they are requested and imminently needed for a client’s treatment if the reason for withholding them is solely because payment has not been received for professional services rendered to that client.
12.11 Exception to 12.10
Despite Standard 12.10, a registrant may withhold psychological reports due to the client’s failure to pay for professional services rendered if the client was
advised before the beginning of an assessment, or before preparation of a treatment summary report, that payment in full was required before the report would be released.
12.12 No payment for referral
A registrant must not:
a) give a commission, rebate, or remuneration to a person who has referred a client to the registrant; or
b) accept a commission, rebate, or remuneration from a person to whom the registrant has referred a client.
12.13 Reasonableness
A registrant must not exploit any client or third party payer by charging a fee that is excessive for the professional services performed or by entering into an
exploitive bartering arrangement in place of a fee.
12.14 Barter
Barter is the acceptance of goods, services, or other nonmonetary remuneration from clients in return for psychological services. Registrants may barter only if:
a) it is not clinically contraindicated; and
b) the resulting arrangement is not exploitative to the client.
12.15 Accurate fee reports
In a report to third party payers for professional services or to sources of research funding, a registrant must accurately state the nature of the service or
research provided, the fees or charges, and where applicable, the identity of the service provider, the findings, and the diagnosis.
