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Fee Structure and Billing Practices
for Private Clients
This schedule supersedes any fee schedule published prior to September 25, 2004.
This schedule expands the 3-way hourly costs structure found in the Agreement
for Services.
Time is billed by the quarter hour. All fractions of a quarter hour in excess of
five minutes are billed on the basis of "rounded up" time to the next quarter
hour. As an example, twenty minutes will be billed as one-half hour.
Invoices will be mailed to the person responsible for payment of fees following
the end of each month. Unless other arrangements are recorded in writing, full
payment is due upon receipt of the invoice. Client failure to pay within a
twenty day period commencing with the date of the invoice may be grounds for
immediate termination of the contractual relationship.
Consulting: $60.00/hr. With each new client and his/her family member(s), the
first hour of consulting is conducted at no charge. Thereafter, a consulting fee
applies. "Consulting" includes but is not limited to face-to-face problem
solving and consultation with the individual client and his/her family members
and service providers who may or may not have been previously seen in person.
Lengthy telephone conversations beyond short contact and update calls will be
charged at this rate, on a quarterly hour basis. Consulting time also includes
time spent with the client and/or family members during transportation to and
from single or multiple appointments and agency contacts. (Travel and personal
transport for such purposes is considered "business use" requiring special
insurance coverage and elevated liability limits.)
Administrative: $40.00/hr. "Administrative" refers to telephone contacts
designed to coordinate services, set and change appointments, clarify
information provided or to request additional information of the client, his/her
family, service providers, medical, mental health, and other evaluating and/or
treating professionals. It also refers to time spent in information and referral
search and instructions, location and selection of professionals for
examinations and evaluations, review of written documentation and records
provided by others, organization of materials provided by clients, their
families, and service providers into folders or jackets designed for frequent
consultation or submission to others, including educational or adult service or
benefits/entitlement agencies. In-person time spent reviewing, securing or
duplicating official records of providers or at agencies is billed at this rate.
Except for consulting or advocacy, if the contract with the client also includes
"case management," time spent performing tasks in this paragraph will be billed
as case management time. Time billed also includes the time required to receive
and transmit Faxes, placing and receiving local and long distance calls
including cellular calls. Such time also includes the time involved in handling
and duplicating documents at commercial printing services, including travel to
and from such business locations, and mailing or shipping materials.
Advocacy: $80.00/hr. Advocacy is herein defined as face-to-face time spent with
providers and agency personnel on behalf of the client's interests with or
without the presence of the client, but with the client's permission and
informed consent. Advocacy may involve cognitive interpretive services with the
client, as well as explanations and clarifications of programs and procedures to
client, his/her family, and others.
(over)
Media and Media Transfer. I use either a mini-disk recorder or a solid state
compact flash digital sound recorder to record conversations and work sessions
for the benefit of clients requiring an audio record. Costs of transferring
audio recordings to cassette tape or CD redbook (standard) format differ
depending upon the length of the recording and the time taken to reproduce the
original at a real-time rate. I will retain original, unedited wav. files in
archive during the time the case is open. Copies provided to others are designed
to prevent over-recording. The final cost of media involves cost of the media a
small fee for setting up the transfer process, the cost of the tape or CD, and a
small charge for use of specialized equipment for this purpose. If video
recording is requested or needed, a different cost structure is involved. That
cost depends upon the equipment being used and the conditions under which video
footage is recorded (and/or edited). Ordinarily, transfer will be made from
Digital Video Cassette to either standard VHS format or consumer grade DVD.
Mileage: $.50/mile minimum. Mileage is charged on a portal-to-portal basis,
inclusive of all destinations visited. Note: Mileage fee may be adjusted upwards
to reflect changes in fuel prices at the pump.
Travel Time: $15.00/hr. Travel time shall be assessed at this rate for any
travel requiring over one-half hour one-way, door-to-door. If lengthy travel is
required to view records or visit a resource, that travel shall be billed at the
above rate over and above mileage charged for the same time on the road. Every
effort will be made to reduce travel time and to consolidate and coordinate
stops in the event travel involves more than a single destination. If the client
and/or his/her family members accompany Mr. Meyer in the same vehicle, such
accompaniment shall be charged at the consulting rate (see above) on a portal to
portal timed basis.
Other - Direct Expenses (Miscellaneous). All expenses identified in this
paragraph are billed at cost. There are occasions where private professional
testing and evaluation is necessary to perfect a Social Security claim or
further special education advocacy. Ordinarily I do not advance payment for such
testing, but exceptions can be made. Whether the case is won or lost, I expect
to be paid for such out-of-pocket expenses. Other direct expenses include
parking lot and meter charges, postage and mailing expenses, duplicating and
printing costs at commercial locations, long distance calls and faxes and other
expenses documented by receipt or record. Every effort will be made to reduce
records reproduction costs or request exemption from the cost of record copying
if allowed by law, regulations, or agency policy and practice. After payment,
agency/provider records reproduction costs will be billed to the client.
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Roger N. Meyer
DBA "...of a different mind"
Disability Advocacy and Consulting
18162 East Burnside
Portland, OR 97233
Phone and FAX 503-666-2776
Cell: 503-358-6463
Email: rogernmeyer@earthlink.net
http://www.rogernmeyer.com
I have read and received a copy of this fee structure and billings practices
document.
__________________________________________________ _______________
Client Signature Date
