Professional Fees & Payment Options
Professional Fees
Download our detailed Fee Schedule.
Missed Appointments and Late-Cancellation Policy
When a client makes an appointment, they have reserved the service provider’s time. When they don’t arrive for their appointment or cancel with minimal notice, it means staff have already prepared for the appointment (writing session plans, planning activities, doing research, creating materials). The clinic has also prepared and paid for personnel, services, equipment, and space for you to receive your service. It also means it’s too late to fill the spot with another client (e.g., those waiting for an assessment, clients who ask to reschedule due to a conflict). It also impacts families who are on the waitlist for a caseload spot (especially high demand evening and weekend spots).
When a client does not arrive for a scheduled appointment or cancels with less than 24 hours of notice, they will be responsible for the cost for us to prepare which is the full fee for the time they reserved with the service provider. When a client has asked us to prepare for a session, if they do not arrive for their appointment, we have already incurred the costs for the service.
If you have asked us to charge your credit card after each visit, this charge will be on your card. Insurance companies and government funders usually do not pay for missed appointments – the client is responsible for these fees. There is no fee for late cancellations due to illness, dangerous road conditions, death, or medical professionals unexpectedly mandated to work (e.g., nurses and physicians).
Our system will send an email and/or text reminder in advance as a courtesy, but clients are responsible for making note of their appointments and taking measures to remember them. To avoid no-show and late cancellation fees, please keep track of your appointments. If you are aware of a conflict, please give us as much notice as possible so that we can make the time available to another person who needs it.
Out of consideration for our clinicians and persons on the waitlist, we cannot continue to hold a caseload spot if a client cancels a large proportion of their appointments. If a client frequently cancels, they will be asked to consider if the timing is right for therapy, if another day/time would work better with their schedule, or if services should be discontinued until a better time for them.
Methods of Payment
Insurance
Please speak to your insurance provider to inquire about coverage for speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, or counselling therapy services. To protect your privacy, insurers will not release the details of your coverage to a provider, so we cannot do this for you. You will want to know the following about your coverage: what is your annual benefit (dollar amount or number of visits for the year), what percentage of each claim is covered (e.g., 80%, 100%), and what is the maximum covered per visit (e.g., up to a maximum of $120 per visit).
We are able to direct bill to your primary insurer. We are unable to direct bill to any secondary insurer (e.g., if you have coverage under your spouse's plan we cannot direct bill on your behalf because of the limitations of insurers' systems). This is because the insurers' platforms do not allow us to direct bill to secondary payers.
Direct billing can be done by Shoreline on behalf of the following insurers for speech-language pathology:
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Medavie Blue Cross
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Sun Life
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Green Shield Canada
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SSQ Insurance
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Canada Life
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Canadian Construction Workers Union
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Chambers of Commerce (Johnston Group)
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ClaimSecure
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Desjardins Insurance
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First Canadian (Johnston Group)
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Industrial Alliance
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Johnston Group
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TELUS AdjudiCare
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plus some additional smaller insurers (please contact Shoreline to inquire)
Direct billing can be done by Shoreline on behalf of the following insurers for occupational therapy:
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Medavie Blue Cross
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Sun Life
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Canadian Construction Workers Union
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Chambers of Commerce (Johnston Group)
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ClaimSecure
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Desjardins Insurance
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First Canadian (Johnston Group)
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Industrial Alliance
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Johnston Group
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TELUS AdjudiCare
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plus some additional smaller insurers (please contact Shoreline to inquire)
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Canada Life for employees of the federal government (PSHCP) may cover assessment but not treatment
Any amount not covered after direct billing will be payable by the client. At intake you will be asked if you would like to save your credit card information so we can charge your card for you as a convenience.
For clients of other insurance providers whose systems do not permit SLPs or OTs to direct bill yet (e.g., SunLife, Manulife), professional fees will be due at time of service. You will be provided with a detailed invoice by email to submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement.
Credit Card / Debit
Our Administrative Assistant can accept your payment during their office hours or your direct service provider can take your payment within the last few minutes of your appointment. We accept debit, credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Invoices and receipts are emailed at the end of the day. Clients can pay online through Jane App or send an etransfer to manager@shoreline-therapy.ca (include client name or invoice number).
Caution About Etransfers
We have stopped listing etransfers as an accepted method of payment. This is because of the increased risk recently of etransfers being targeted by scammers. If you do wish to send an etransfer, to protect yourself, please let our Administration Office know you have sent it so we can watch for it (admin@shoreline-therapy.ca). We are set up for autodeposit, so if your bank system prompts you to enter a password, we recommend you do not continue with the etransfer and instead contact your bank to confirm it's safe. These are steps to reduce your risk and protect yourself against scammers.
Funding Opportunities
Jordan's Principle
Eligible First Nations persons can apply for funding for private services for children through Jordan's Principle. More information can be found at the link below.
Link: https://www.unsm.org/dept/jordans-principle
Community Assistance Program (Autism Canada)
Autistic children may be eligible for funding for services such as speech-language pathology and occupational therapy through the CAP.
Link: https://www.autismcanada.ca/faq-1
Department of Opportunities and Social Development
If you receive support through the Disability Support Program, there are times when coverage may be available for SLP and OT services.
According to section 7.4.2. of the Disability Support Program policy, the cost of private services may be approved when "they are not available through insured services and the lack of availability creates a significant impact on the health and safety of the participant."
The Department of Opportunities and Social Development requires that persons first seek services through the public service (e.g., Hearing and Speech Nova Scotia). The Department of Community Services considers coverage for private therapy:
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where there is no public service available, or
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the wait list is long, and
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all private insurance coverage has already been used.
In these cases, the department may consider coverage of private services until public services are available.
There is no list of pre-approved SLP and OT providers with the DCS (as there is for psychology and counselling) - you just need to speak with your individual case worker.
For more information, please contact the Department of Community Services Disability Support Program:
https://novascotia.ca/coms/disabilities/index.html
Disability Support Program Policy:
https://novascotia.ca/coms/disabilities/documents/Disability_Support_Program_Policies.pdf
Tax Credits and Benefits
Disability Tax Credit
For information about the disability tax credit, visit the CRA's website and/or speak with your accountant.
Where appropriate, some sections of the application form may be completed by a speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist. Speak directly with your Shoreline clinician and/or the Clinic Manager about how to complete this process.
Link:
Child Disability Benefit
Link:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/child-disability-benefit.html
Tip: If your child receives a new diagnosis, it may be worthwhile to ask your accountant if the CRA will recalculate your benefit for past years.
Medical Expense Tax Credit
For information about the medical expense tax credit, visit the CRA's website (link below) and/or speak with the accountant who prepares your annual tax return. Occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists are "authorized medical practitioners" for the purposes of the medical expense tax credit.
Link:
Workers' Compensation Claims
For services related to a workers' compensation claim, professional fees are due at the time of service. You will be provided with a detailed invoice to submit for reimbursement.