Frequently Asked Questions

Coral Psychiatry is headquartered in Troy, NY and can offer a limited number of in-person visits to local patients that need prescriptions for controlled substances.

We primarily offer telepsych services to patients throughout Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York. Patients must be physically located in one of those states at the time of the appointment.

Dr. Okwerekwu also has a private practice in California. If you are a California resident interested in reproductive psychiatry services click here.

Online treatment works much like in-person treatment, except it’s more flexible and convenient. Patients participate in virtual visits with the same respect as an in-person visit. It works best when you have a safe and quiet setting and can give the session your full attention. As a reproductive psychiatrist, however, I always say babies are welcome! To protect your confidentiality, try to use a private room with a closed door. Headphones can be useful to maximize privacy too.

My practice aims to be paperless. We communicate with a secure online portal, get forms signed online, and share screens to share information and resources.

We primarily offer telepsych visits for patients in AZ, CA, FL, IL, MA, MN and throughout NY.

We offer a limited number of in-person visits to patients in New York who require it for their care.

Initial Assessment & Consultation (90 minutes) — $650

This is a full diagnostic evaluation. We review your entire medical and psychiatric history, take note of all your medications and explore the symptoms that trouble you. This helps us hone in on a diagnosis, and conceptualize what’s wrong and why. This initial appointment forms the foundation of our treatment. Taking stock of your personal priorities we weigh the risks and benefits of treatment—which can be a combination of medications, integrative strategies, psychotherapy, or education and counseling—and build a plan to get you feeling better.

One-time Consultations & Second Opinions — $895

Our 120 min intake session is a compass that really guides the next steps. You can take your next steps with me, or if you’d prefer, to pass the baton onto a different doctor—like a general adult psychiatrist, your PCP, or OB GYN. I can communicate our work to your treatment team with a comprehensive consultation report and assist with the coordination of your care.

Medication Management or Medication Management + Psychotherapy (45 minutes) — $435

If we decide to work together, follow up visits will be how we spend the majority of our time together. During these appointment we may further refine our treatment plan and explore the destinations in the map we drew together in the initial assessment. These appointments are best for patients who are just starting treatment, actively experiencing symptoms, working through side effects or recent medication changes, are committed to regular psychotherapy, or just need a little more TLC.

Express Medication Visit (20 minutes) — $295

These visits are reserved for patients who have achieved stability and only need a quick check in or routine follow up for the safe and responsible medication management of their medications.

Coral Psychiatry has partnered with Reimbursify for you to easily submit your claims for out-of-network health insurance reimbursement at no cost for this practice. If you are interested in taking advantage of your out-of-network benefits, schedule a complimentary consultation to help determine how much you will be reimbursed for our visits. You can download the App to submit claims.

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost.

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.

• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your healthcare provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.

• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.

• Make sure to save a copy or 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 800-985-3059.

During our first appointment, we will begin getting to know each other. You will have the opportunity to ask questions about my practice policies to make sure we are always on the same page. We will dig into what’s bothering you and what you hope to improve. Then I’ll do what I’ve been expertly trained to do as a integrative reproductive psychiatrist: conduct a women’s mental health assessment and explore the impact of reproductive hormones on your mental health.

There is no one-size-fits-all schedule for treatment. Sometimes your care falls into a discreet “reproductive chapter” in your life like pursuing IVF, being pregnant, or postpartum. Those life chapters can help inform the length of recommended treatment. Other times, you may be seeking an expert in women’s mental health to manage ongoing conditions like ADHD or endometriosis. If we’re making medication changes, we typically follow up in 2-4 weeks. If things are going well we can consider stretching our visits out to three months. If you can go three months without me, you may no longer need expert-level care. At that point, we can discuss your preferences for care or strategize a plan for “graduation.”

It’s not easy to navigate the American healthcare system. Even as a doctor seeking care for myself and my family, I’ve experienced extreme disappointment and frustration. Looking back, much of this frustration wasn’t with my doctors but rather the hurdles the insurance companies put between us. As a doctor, I’ve been bogged down with extra and unnecessary paperwork that leaches energy from where I want to be investing in the most: directly into my patients. Operating as an out-of-network doctor allows me to invest in you while you invest in your health and wellness. My practice honors the gravity of that commitment.

Coral Psychiatry is unable to provide care to beneficiaries of Medicare, even if you are paying for services privately.

Coral Psychiatry has a concierge subscription with Reimbursify. That means I can provide you will a medical invoice and Reimbursify will help you get reimbursed by your insurance company. Click here for more details.

Your appointment time is reserved and protected for you. I don’t double book appointments so you have the benefit of my full care and attention. I also spend time preparing for your session to maximize the value of our time together. As such, Coral Psychiatry requires appointments to be canceled with 48 hours’ notice. Missed appointments and late cancellations will be billed the full appointment fee.

Coral Psychiatry does not offer controlled substances like stimulants and benzodiazepines via our telepsychiatry service.

Patients in New York state with the ability to be seen in-person in the Capital District, are eligible for clinically appropriate controlled substance prescriptions.