Do BRIA services require HST?

The Canada Revenue Agency (Government of Canada) has decided that some medical services, as provided by certain health care providers, are exempt from HST charges. Most BRIA services provided by BRIA physicians, social workers, nurses, occupational therapists, and lactation consultants, and some other therapists do not require HST payment. As of June 2024, government regulations no longer require HST be paid for services rendered by registered psychotherapists.

BRIA services have HST applied when required by law. This is noted in the price per service. Please reach out to hello@betterbria.com if you have any additional questions.

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Related Questions

Have more questions? We have more answers. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please reach out to contact us anytime.

Does BRIA do direct billing to insurance companies?

No, we are not offering direct billing at this time. Please check with your benefits provider to see what type of mental health coverage you have. BRIA professionals are covered by most benefits plans.

Will my insurance cover BRIA services?

Many working Canadians or their spouses have some form of employee benefits, and most benefits plans cover mental health services. That means you can use your employee benefits to access BRIA’s comprehensive mental health and well-being services with one of our credentialed healthcare providers. In addition, some people have a health spending account which can be used towards healthcare services that may not be covered by your mental health benefits.

BRIA Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

BRIA was created to support those who are dealing with hormonal concerns and/or struggling with mental health concerns and stress during reproductive and hormonal transitions: when going through fertility treatments, during pregnancy, the postpartum period, and early parenting, and during perimenopause.

If you or your partner are in one of these stages and in need of care, please read the information below.

BRIA can help:

  • People who are looking for support to manage stress
  • People looking for help with their relationships
  • People who have depression or anxiety
  • People in a reproductive stage (above) or with hormone concerns

BRIA is not suitable for:

  • People in crisis
  • People who have been admitted to a psychiatric hospital within the past 3 months
  • People who are suicidal or who have been treated for suicidality in the past 3 months
  • People in a manic episode or who have been manic in the past 3 months
  • People who have active psychotic symptoms or untreated psychotic illness
  • People with active substance use concerns, or who have had active concerns over the past 3 months
  • People with signifcant trauma who are looking for trauma therapy
  • People looking for ongoing psychiatric care

Questions? Book a free 15 minute call to learn more about BRIA services.

How do the BRIA MDs work collaboratively with the Primary Care Provider?

As psychiatrists who have worked closely with Primary Care Providers (PCPs) for many years, we understand how many non-billable, time-consuming tasks are left up to the PCP to do. At BRIA, we are trying to decrease the amount of work for PCPs by streamlining the patient care and referral process. This includes:

  • Requiring patients to self-refer to BRIA: Patients book the MINI Mental Health Assessment on their own, and are given an individualized Care Plan which may include recommendations for a more in-depth mental health or hormonal assessment. We have learned that some patients do not follow up with mental healthcare when it is initiated by their PCP, so we have created a process for them to initiate access to their own care. When the patient is self-motivated to get help, they are more likely to engage in support, and there is a reduction in appointment no-shows or cancellations.
  • Sending the PCP an easy-to-complete referral form, when needed: If the patient requires a MAXI Mental Health Assessment which includes a psychiatric consultation, a pre-made, easily-fillable referral form will be sent to the PCP. This is meant to make it easier for the PCP (it essentially just requires a few tick boxes and the PCP information). Before the BRIA Care Coordinator faxes the referral form, she informs the patient that the PCP may ask them to book an appointment to complete the form. 
  • Providing follow-up to ensure the patient is getting better: Most psychiatry specialists provide a “one and done” model of care where they do one consultation and then send the patient back to the PCP to initiate and manage the suggested treatment plan. As part of the MAXI Mental Health Assessment, BRIA Psychiatrists provide 5 follow-up sessions (covered by provincial public healthcare plans). For the MEDI Health Assessment, we send the lab req directly to the patient, she checks her blood pressure at a local pharmacy, and she completes the MRS and other symptom scales on her own. We only ask the PCP to do routine screening that is recommended at that stage (eg. mammogram above 50 yrs. old). The BRIA gynaecologist will then provide an assessment, management plan, and short-term follow-up (covered by provincial public healthcare plans) to ensure the patient is on the right medical track, before sending her back to the PCP. Detailed consult notes for all BRIA assessments will be sent to the PCP.
  • Offering wrap around care: BRIA has expert clinicians at each life stage, including psychiatrists, therapists, sleep consultants, and other allied health specialists. You only need to suggest one place to get all of your patients’ mental health needs met– and there is no waitlist! 

At BRIA, we designed a system to make it easy to access comprehensive, specialized mental healthcare. Our goal is to collaborate with, and make things easier for the PCP. We welcome dialogue with all PCPs and are happy to answer any questions about the BRIA model of care. Please email us at hello@betterbria.com for more information.

How much do BRIA services cost?

The cost of BRIA services varies, depending on the exact service. For the most up- to-date pricing information, please refer to our booking site, https://betterbria.janeapp.com/.

Can I participate in BRIA if I don’t live in Ontario?

Currently, BRIA is able to offer healthcare services to people who are living in Ontario and Alberta, Canada. Please add your name to our email list so that you can receive BRIA updates and information, and we will let you know when BRIA team members are presenting educational webinars that are available to everyone.

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