North Springs Psychiatry & TMS Center

02/03/2025

Now 34 days into the transition and still not a word from TriWest Healthcare Alliance or TRICARE on updates. Meanwhile, providers are being forced to close their doors and beneficiaries are unable to obtain the care they need.

Defense Health Agency

01/23/2025

To our valued patients,

As many of you may know, on January 1, 2025, TRICARE transitioned from their previous managing contractor Health Net Federal Services to their new contractor TriWest Healthcare Alliance. After numerous lawsuits, TriWest was awarded this $65 billion contract to manage provider data, beneficiary benefits, claims, referrals, and authorizations. TriWest had nearly 2 years to prepare for the transition. It is now 22 days into the transition and providers are unable to file claims and subsequently, receive payments. This change has created significant barriers to providers as well as beneficiaries. Because we are so dedicated to providing care to our military families, we are proud to say that nearly 80% of our patients are Tricare beneficiaries. Sadly, this new change has severely impacted the financial stability of our small practice.

We are reading stories of providers around the country laying off employees and closing their practices because of lack of payments, inability to submit referrals, and inability to receive authorizations for any new services – including emergency services. We have heard stories about patients having to pause chemotherapy and cancel surgeries because of lack of authorizations and inability to verify benefits. Despite numerous Congress members and Senators calling on TriWest to fix this catastrophic situation, TriWest has not released a single update or statement on when providers and beneficiaries can expect their systems to be in place. Right now, the average hold time for phone calls is 3 hours.

Sadly, we are at risk of closing our doors. Effective Monday, January 27, 2025, we will be forced to make drastic changes. These changes include:

1. Reducing business hours which means reducing provider availability and communication with our support staff

2. Temporary layoffs and reduced hours for staff

3. Requiring payments up front from TRICARE patients. This does not apply to TMS patients. Payments for services are: $150 for medication management follow ups, $125 for therapy sessions, $250 for new patients, and $260 (+ the ketamine supply fee) for ketamine infusions. Any paperwork that needs to be completed will also require payment

4. Our TMS patients will not be impacted and will NOT be required to pay up front for services

It is our intention at this time to remain in-network with TRICARE with the hopes that TriWest will fulfill the duties of their awarded contract. It pains us to be forced into this position and to see our military families impacted in such a negative manner. We urge you to reach out to our representatives and ask them to investigate the “Unfair and Deceptive Trade Policies Act” that protects beneficiaries and providers from insurance companies acting unethically and immorally. In the coming days and weeks, I expect more providers will take a stand against this deception and we will sadly hear stories of irreparable harm and likely even death due to the barriers to proper delivery of care caused by TriWest.

TriWest Healthcare Alliance TRICARE


Defense Health Agency

04/04/2024

An update on the exciting new treatments and research we are doing at North Springs Psychiatry & TMS Center! Follow our owner Amanda Prested Batterbee on LinkedIn for the latest updates and treatment options.

01/26/2024

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-personalized-medicine-how-can-improve-quality-amanda-6lrzc

Why am I passionate about personalized medicine? Read my new blog post to find out...

01/02/2023

North Springs Psychiatry & TMS Center has moved! Come see our gorgeous new and beautifully appointed clinic located in the Pinnacle Eye Center building at 10035 Pearl Pass View Suite 100 Colorado Sorings, CO 80924. Our practice provides that latest evidence based treatment options including ketamine, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, and medication management. Call us at 719-639-2486!

11/22/2022

💔🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️💔
Now we mourn, but our voices will only get louder and our beacon will only shine brighter.

01/25/2021

Tending to your mental health is just as important as tending to your physical health. North Springs Psychiatry & TMS Center is currently accepting new patients. Services we offer include diagnostic and medication evaluations, medication management, therapy including EMDR, TMS, and ketamine infusions. Please call us at 719-639-2486!

Gallup's annual Health and Healthcare survey, which began in 2001, found that Americans' mental and emotional well-being was lower than ever in 2020.

11/20/2020

Happy ! North Springs Psychiatry & TMS Center stands as a proud trans and non-binary ally! We have cultivated a safe space for our vulnerable populations and welcome our LGBTQ+ patients with open arms. ❤️ 🏳️‍🌈

The first step to becoming an ally to transgender and nonbinary people is to learn more; thank you for taking that step with us! It […]

10/30/2020

It’s that time of year when we see an uptick in mental health crises and people suffering from symptoms of depression. Could you have Seasonal Affective Disorder? Call our office to schedule an evaluation to see which treatment options might be right for you! 719-639-2486

Light therapy uses a very bright device to help regulate serotonin and melatonin levels in the body to combat symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.

06/02/2020

NSP stands firmly in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Today is about silencing all other social media posts and taking the time to listen and educate ourselves on systemic racism and how to become more effective allies.

05/06/2020

North Springs Psychiatry has tentatively opened back up for ketamine infusions. We are actively monitoring government recommendations and may have to adjust availability based on these recommendations. We are also following CDC recommendations for sanitizing and disinfecting our office between patients. We continue to offer TMS services as usual and all other appointments are offered through telehealth. Please call 719-639-2486 for questions and scheduling. Be well!

03/24/2020

Taking care of your mental health is just as essential as taking care of the rest of your health. Because of this, North Springs Psychiatry is committed to keeping our doors open. Our Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) services remain open as usual. We continue to follow CDC guidelines for disinfecting equipment between patients. For our clients’ safety and the health of our employees, we have decided to move therapy and follow up medication management appointments to a telehealth platform. If you do not have access to a computer or internet, we are happy to make exceptions as your health is important to us. If you currently have an appointment scheduled, one of our administrators will be reaching out to instruct you on how to access our telehealth services. Thank you for supporting NSP and allowing us to support you during this difficult time!

03/16/2020

Sometimes it can be really hard to reach out for help when you don’t know who is on the other end of the line. Well, she’s Rachel and I’m Amanda and we are here for you! So now you know the smiling face who will be answering your call (Rachel) and the owner (me, Amanda)! Give us a call at (719) 639-2486 and let us know how we can help.

At North Springs Psychiatry, we have created an integrated treatment approach. We serve clients of all ages and offer a collaborative treatment team approach.

03/15/2020

Friends, trying times are upon us and now we need mental health care even more than ever! North Springs Psychiatry will continue to operate with a few changes. Because of a global shortage in masks, gloves, and hospital grade disinfectants, as well as current CDC recommendations, we have decided to suspend ketamine infusions effective immediately. We will continue to monitor ongoing availability of supplies and CDC/WHO recommendations. TMS services will proceed normally and our staff is following CDC recommendations for sanitizing the equipment and rooms between patients. We are also offering telehealth visits during this period of social distancing. If you would like your appointment scheduled as a telehealth appointment, please reach out to us at 719-639-2486. Be safe, stay well, and please practice plenty of self-care!

03/13/2020

As TMS becomes more available, you may have some questions about which type of TMS is best for you. Deep TMS is FDA approved to treat Major Depressive Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. We can also use it to treat PTSD, Anxiety, Parkinson's, Migraines, Addictions, and symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Give us a call at 719-639-2486 to learn more or check out our website www.northspringspsychiatry.com!

: How does Deep TMS compare to standard rTMS? While the treatments do have similarities, each holds its own unique attributes. Deep TMS has a broader stimulation while magnetic stimulation caused by standard rTMS is more focal, and its pulses are directed at a specific point in the brain.

Learn more here: https://www.brainsway.com/professionals-faqs/how-does-deep-tms-compare-to-standard-rtms

10/22/2019

We get a lot of questions about possible side effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and we promise this rarely happens! 😂
The most common side effect of TMS is a transient (short lasting) headache.
TMS can help when you feel empty inside (like this patient)!