Dr. Charles S Berlin, MD

I’m Charles Berlin M.D., and would like to respond to this poster’s comments. After 30+ years of practice, I believe I’ve been able to arrive at a thoughtful manner of dealing with fee issues. I’m a psychiatrist who still accepts insurance, so as to be able to serve the broadest array of individuals. My policy about charges for missed sessions is very clear, and is agreed to in writing by all patients prior to starting treatment, so there is no confusion about this. This is detailed in the information on my website, www.charlesberlin.com. I apply such charges in what I think are a flexible, empathic, and fair manner. I do not apply such a charge when issues of illness, family emergency, or certain other circumstances occur. I take into account the overall context of the ongoing therapeutic relationship. Nonetheless, there are circumstances when such charges are appropriate and justified, and the vast majority of patients I see are understanding of this. I’m always willing to work out some fee reduction or payment schedule with any patient where this is necessary and who addresses it with me in good faith. There are some patients over the years who I have not charged anything at all for seeing me, given their circumstances. I’d estimate that an unpaid bill has been turned over to collection by me for less than one percent of the patients I’ve seen over the years, and that’s after efforts on my part to first resolve this by sending repeated statements and notes to the patient (if he or she is no longer in treatment) to please contact me to work out whatever the problem is. I’m aware of who the poster of this complaint is. Not surprisingly, the actualities of this situation were in my view significantly different than portrayed. I’m sorry that our interaction ended badly after what had been prior very productive work. I invite the poster, even at this point, to contact me directly to re-discuss what happened here, and hope that this occurs.