Which Hawaii Insurance Plans Allow GE Tax and Late Cancellation Charges?

Understanding GE Tax and Late Cancellation Fees in Hawaii

I am often asked about GE tax, late cancellation fees, and how these tie into HMSA credentialing and other insurance requirements for Hawaii therapists.

And which insurance plans can I charge my late cancellation/no show fee to, and which ones am I not allowed to?

Insurance Plans That Allow Late Cancellation or No-Show Fees

Here are the insurance plans that we are allowed to charge our late cancellation/no show fees to:

1. HMSA PPO, HMSA Federal, and HMSA HMO plans

2. UHA

3. HMAA

4. Kaiser HMO plans (but you can’t charge late cancellation/no show fees to Kaiser Quest or Kaiser Medicare plans)

These late cancellation/no show fees are to be charged directly to the client, not to the insurance plan.

Insurance Plans That Allow GE Tax Charges

Here are the insurance plans that we are allowed to charge the GE taxes to:

1. HMSA PPO plans

2. UHA

3. HMAA

These GE tax fees are to be charged directly to the client, not to the insurance plan.

Exceptions: Federal HMSA Plans, HMSA HMO plans, and GE Tax Reimbursement

Please note: for clients who have a Federal HMSA plan or HMSA HMO plan, we can charge our late cancellation/no show fee, but we can't charge for GE taxes because the GE tax amount is already calculated into the reimbursement rate (which is why the HMSA Federal insurance plans reimburse at about $5.80 higher than the other HMSA plans- that remaining $5.80 is actually the GE tax).

If you are wondering which insurance plans we can charge the GE tax to, and what those amounts are, check out my cheat sheet here.​

This is also something that often comes up during HMSA credentialing, so it’s important to know the distinction

Insurance Plans That Do Not Allow GE Tax or Late Cancellation Fees

For the following plans, we are not allowed to charge either the GE tax, or the late cancellation/no show fee:

1. All Quest/Medicaid plans

2. Medicare plans

3. Tricare

4. TriWest

Why Charging GE Tax and Late Fees Matters for Therapists

For the insurance plans where you can charge the GE tax, I highly encourage you to do so. Even though it is only a charge of around $5.80, it really adds up after a while.

I also encourage you to be persistent about charging your late cancellation/no show fee when it is appropriate to do so- both for financial reasons and also for boundary-setting reasons between you and your clients.

I hope this helps- feel free to ask any questions you may have along the way!

​Resources and Support for Hawaii Therapists

Are you loving the content in the weekly blogs so far? If so, feel free to leave a tip of any amount via Venmo to keep these blog post going! https://www.venmo.com/u/DaVineCSLLC​

Do you have questions regarding private practice in Hawaii, HMSA credentialing, or another insurance plan? Feel free to schedule a Zoom consultation!

https://calendly.com/jessicawong-nsm

I'm always here for you, feel free to reach out anytime! (P.S. If you would like to work together more closely, check out my course offerings below).

1.Are you wanting to set up a private practice in Hawaii, but unsure of how to do it? If so, The Hawaii Practice Startup may be just what you need! This course offers eight modules with step-by-step video instructions and handouts that will walk you through all the steps you need to create your private practice in Hawaii.

2. Have you already set up your business structure for your private practice, but now need help with the insurance credentialing aspect?

In my De-Mystifying Insurance Credentialing Course, I will show you the insurance reimbursement rates for most of the insurance plans in Hawaii, contact information for all of those insurance plans, plus a step-by-step guide on how to complete the credentialing application for one of Hawaii's most popular insurance plans- HMSA!

3. Do you have questions about Medicare specifically?

If so, check out my Medicare Credentialing Workshop for Mental Health Professionals (for only $25), where I go over reimbursement rates for Medicare, differences between different Medicare plans, and other things that all mental health professionals need to know about Medicare!

Want more tips on insurance credentialing and Hawaii insurance plan rules, including GE tax and late cancellation fees, delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe below to join my email list.

About Jessica Wong, LCSW

Jessica Wong is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the founder of The Hawaii Therapist Hub, LLC and DaVine Counseling Services, LLC. She provides step-by-step support for Hawaii therapists who want to simplify insurance credentialing, billing compliance, and private practice growth. Jessica’s courses and consultations are designed to cut through the confusion so therapists can run their practices with confidence and clarity.