Note that Dr. Cox is no longer accepting new clients into his practice.
Please note that Dr. Cox's physical office will be available for face-to-face sessions only on Wednesday. He will continue to meet with patients on other days of the week either via videochat or by phone.
Dr. Cox's office is open Tuesday – Friday, from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. His last appointment of the day is at 2:00 pm.
Dr. Cox does not have evening or weekend hours.
To schedule an appointment or to ask questions, call 281-265-4566. You will be connected to a voice-mail system to leave information for a return call (Dr. Cox does not take phone calls while in session.). This system will contact Dr. Cox 24 hours per day, and it is the most efficient way to get in touch with him. However, don't forget to leave your name and your phone number (Please speak slowly and clearly!). It is surprising how often a message is left without a name or a phone number! Note that the voice mail system is not able to capture your phone number, so Dr. Cox cannot return your call unless you leave your number. Also, note that Dr. Cox is old-school, and his phone is not capable of texting. You must leave a voice message. Please do not leave a pager number for a return call.
Dr. Cox usually return calls on the same day, with the exception of weekends and holidays. The most common times for him to return calls are over the noon hour and at the end of the day. Should you not hear back from him, assume that he did not get your message for some reason, and try again. He will call you back!
Appointments are available Tuesday - Friday from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. Psychotherapy is usually scheduled for one 50-minute session (one appointment hour of 50 minutes) per week, although some sessions might be longer or more frequent. Appointments begin promptly and, in consideration of others, end at the specified time.
In the event of a life-threatening emergency, dial 911 for assistance and go immediately to the nearest hospital emergency room.
If you feel that someone is in danger of suicide, or if you are feeling that you want to harm yourself, call or text the Suicide Hotline at 988.
For urgent matters, call the office (281-265-4566) and state that you would like a return call as soon as possible. Urgent matters are handled as soon as possible by phone, with emergency sessions scheduled as needed.
When Dr. Cox is not available, another therapist will be "on call" for emergencies. The voice-mail system will explain how to contact her/him.
In view of the health crisis presented by the COVID-19 virus, Dr. Cox has instituted a change in the office cancellation policy.
Symptoms can build quickly, and the corona virus is particularly contagious. Should you become symptomatic, please cancel your session and take care of yourself. There will be no cancellation fee under these circumstances.
You are always free to cancel your appointment without penalty if you call at least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled appointment. Cancellations made within 24 hours of your appointment (such as forgetting your appointment, scheduling another appointment, or having to work) will incur a cancellation feel of $50.00.
The fee for the initial evaluation session is $175.00. The fee for a psychotherapy session is $150.00. Sessions are 50 minutes long.
You will be expected to pay for each session at the time it is scheduled, unless another agreement is in place. Cash, personal check, and credit cards are accepted forms of payment.
If you choose to pay by credit card, the billing system has the capability of securely storing your credit card information. This method of payment is the preferred method of payment.
Typically, you will meet initially for weekly appointments. Should the need arise, appointments might be scheduled twice per week, or as needed depending on the circumstances. As progress is made, appointments might be spread to twice per month or less.
In addition to weekly appointments, Dr. Cox charges the same hourly rate for other professional services you might need, though he will break down the hourly cost if he works for periods of less than one hour. Other services include report preparation, telephone conversations lasting longer than 10 minutes, consulting with other professionals (with your permission), preparation of records or treatment summaries, or time spent performing any other service you might request.
According to a new federal law, called the No Surprises Act, Dr. Cox is required to provide a Good Faith Estimate of the cost of his services. As currently written, this law applies only to patients who do not have insurance or who are not using it. The law does not currently apply to patients who are covered by an insurance plan.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. The Good Faith Estimate does not include unknown or unexpected costs, such as writing reports or extended communications with other professionals.
You may receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges at the beginning of treatment, at the beginning of each new year, or upon request. Note that this estimate is simply an estimate of expected charges. It is NOT a binding contract with Dr. Cox. Receiving a Good Faith Estimate does not obligate you to obtain services from Dr. Cox.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute that bill.
Make sure that you save a copy or a picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059 for assistance.
Dr. Cox does not participate in insurance panels as a "preferred provider." If you choose to use your insurance benefits, call your insurance company to determine whether they offer out-of-network benefits.
Health insurance is a contract for reimbursement between you and your insurance company. If you desire to file an insurance claim, Dr. Cox will provide an insurance receipt called a Super Bill to file directly with your insurance company. It contains all information necessary for filing your insurance. Simply attach it to your claim form.
Although Dr. Cox is out of network for most health insurance companies, many will reimburse you for a portion of his psychotherapy service. Call the insurance company or look on line to find out the specifics of your insurance coverage. Since all health insurance contracts differ, you must personally contact your insurance claims department and your company benefits supervisor to understand the specific details of your mental health coverage.
Some managed health care plans require pre-authorization before the start of treatment. If you choose to use these benefits, it is very important that you follow your company’s rules for contacting the managed care company (which is usually different from your insurance company). Call the managed care company before starting counseling or immediately after the first session. Failure to follow the rules will result in your insurance company refusing to pay for services, and you will have to pay the full amount instead. Call them to know for sure!
Insurance companies offer many different plans, and Dr. Cox has no way of knowing the specifics of your insurance. Calling the insurance company is the only way to know what your benefits might be.
Your contract with your insurance company requires that Dr. Cox release information about the service that he provides. This information includes a diagnosis indicating that you have an “illness,” how the “illness” affects your daily life, treatment goals, and treatment approaches. Rarely, a copy of your entire Clinical Record will be requested. Dr. Cox will release the minimum information that is necessary for the purpose requested. Information that is released will become a part of the insurance company files. All insurance companies claim to keep such information confidential. Once information leaves his office, however, Dr. Cox has no control over what is done with it. In all likelihood, a computerized record will result and become part of your permanent insurance record in addition to being submitted to a national medical information databank. These records are available to other insurance companies.
When you call your insurance company, here are some important questions to ask:
In general, the law protects the confidentiality of communications between a patient and a health care provider. Psychologists have traditionally been extremely sensitive about the confidentiality of patient information, and Dr. Cox follows in the tradition of his profession. Information about you will be released only with your written permission.
Note, however, that there are several exceptions to the laws regarding confidentiality. These are detailed in the Office Practices and Agreement notice and in the HIPAA notice. Please read those notices carefully.
Additionally, be aware of the following exceptions to confidentiality:
Both your safety and that of others are paramount. These instances will be handled in a manner that protects the safety of all involved, including mandated reporting to government agencies.
This issue is complex. If you have questions, please ask.
Dr. Cox works in an office with several excellent clinicians. They share a common name (Sugar Land Psychology), a common office space and business expenses, and a common goal to make a difference. They are not, however, a group practice, but operate independent businesses. They have different specializations and approaches to patient care. Each clinician is responsible for her/his specific clinical decisions and business practices. Questions about Dr. Cox's clinical or business issues should be addressed to Dr. Cox. Additional information can be obtained from this web site and from the Sugar Land Psychology web site.
Should you have a question, concern, or complaint, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Cox. He can be reached by calling the office phone at
(281) 265-4566. Please leave a message, and he will get back to you.
Dr. Cox is licensed to practice psychology by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. His license number is 21701, and it can be verified through the BHEC website at https://www.bhec.texas.gov/verify-a-license/index.html.
Copyright © 2024 Charles L. Cox, Ph.D., P.A - All Rights Reserved.
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