I provide mental health care for patients 13-65 years old.

Conditions I treat:

• “Dual-Diagnosis” (co-occurring Substance Use Disorder/Mental Health Disorder)
• Depression
• Anxiety Disorders
• Bipolar Spectrum Disorders
• ADHD
• Trauma-Related Disorders
• Schizophrenia/Psychosis
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Personality Disorders
• Substance Use Disorders
• Insomnia/Sleep Disorders
• And many more

Yes, prescribing psychiatric medications as indicated is within the scope of practice of a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner.

I do not offer appointments exclusively for psychotherapy but do incorporate elements of common psychotherapy modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing into my practice. If you utilize insurance, you may see this context reflected as a therapy billing code on your appointment explanation of benefits.

• I currently accept First Choice, Moda, Providence, Pacific Source, and private payment.
• I also provide treatment to individuals with nearly any insurance carrier on an “out of network” basis, meaning that I will provide you with an itemized statement (known as a “superbill”) at the end of our session. This may allow you to claim partial reimbursement for my services from your insurer. However, it is always a good idea to speak to your insurer directly prior to scheduling so that you are clear about the amount of reimbursement that they may provide.

The private pay fee schedule is as follows:

• Initial evaluation (60 min): $400
• Follow-up visits (20 min): $200
• Cancellations (with less than 24 hours notice): considered no-show, $100 fee
• Cancellations (with more than 24 hours notice): no fee
• No shows: $100 fee
• QbCheck ADHD testing: $150
• Extended phone call (>10 minutes): $30 per 10 minutes
• Document completion (e.g. FMLA, etc.): $50 per document
• Early medication refill (NON-CONTROLLED MEDICATIONS ONLY): $20 fee
• Please note: I cannot provide services to persons who attempt to complete an appointment while distracted (e.g. driving a car) or in public, and doing so will be considered an appointment no show (see fee and payment structure above.)

Private payment is due in full at the time of service. As of 01/01/21, credit cards or HSA cards are the only accepted form of private payment. Credit cards may be charged automatically as outlined in my General Policies and Procedures (see: full text of practice policies below.) Credit card payments may be securely made using the Luminello patient portal. I request that all patients keep an active credit card on file. Cards accepted:

• Visa
• MasterCard
• American Express
• Discover

Get a pen and paper ready, then call the number listed for member services on the back of your insurance card (some plans have a dedicated mental health line as well.) Ask the following questions:

• “Is John Benson, of Benson Behavioral Health, considered an in-network provider?”
• If needed, my office addresses can be found at the bottom of this page (use the Salem OR address.)
• If I am not in-network, be sure to ask about out-of-network benefits as they often reimburse a large portion of your private-pay fees.
• “What is the co-payment amount or co-insurance percentage for outpatient mental health visits?”
• Co-payment fees are the same each session.
• Co-Insurance-based plans are more complex. They generally feature an annual deductible: an amount of healthcare cost you are required to meet before insurance provides any coverage. After that, insurance will ask you to pay only a percentage of the session cost.
• Lastly, be sure to ask: “Are there any limits on the number of covered mental health visits per year?”

• I currently hold appointments only via telemedicine using the secure video client Doxy.me.
• I strongly recommend that patients find a quiet, private location to conduct appointments, as we may talk about emotionally painful or otherwise private topics.
• Please note: I cannot provide services to persons who attempt to complete an appointment while distracted (e.g. driving a car) or in public. Doing so will be considered an appointment no-show (see fee and payment structure above.)

• Nearly any device with a video camera and a microphone will be able to access Doxy.me (e.g., laptops, smartphones such as the iPhone, and tablets such as the Amazon Fire or iPad.) I recommend connecting via broadband internet rather than cell phone data, as the video stream quality is often far better on a wired connection.

• To schedule an appointment, please use THIS LINK (or the NEW PATIENTS button above) to complete a request for an initial evaluation and create an account with Luminello, my electronic health record. I will call you for a consultation within 1-2 business days.
• Once I have reviewed your request I will send you several consent forms as well as an intake questionnaire via Luminello.
• On the day and time of your appointment, simply log into your Luminello account and click “go to online waiting room” on the top right corner of your screen or use THIS LINK to connect to me.

• If you are in a state of mental health or medical crisis, please dial 911 immediately.
• The preferred method of contact is the secure messages tab within the Luminello portal. However, I can also be reached by voicemail or secure text message at (512) 877-5752. Every effort will be made to respond to your question within 1-2 business days.
• All active patients must be assessed at least once every three months.
• Please contact me directly for refill requests, rather than sending them via a pharmacy.
• Early medication refills will be assessed a $20 fee to the card on file.
• Controlled substances cannot be refilled early.