Understanding Our Missed Appointment Policy

Our missed appointment policy helps protect access to care for all members. We understand that life happens—meetings run long, kids get sick, and alarms fail. At the same time, an appointment time slot is one of the most limited and valuable resources in mental health care.

When you book a session, your provider reserves that time exclusively for you. Providing advance notice when you can’t attend allows that block of time to be offered to another member who may be safely waiting for support.

Missed Appointment Policy Definitions

• No-Show: You miss your scheduled appointment without providing advance notice, or you arrive more than 10 minutes after your scheduled start time.
• Late Cancellation: You cancel or reschedule your appointment with less than 24 hours’ notice before the start time, or you are located outside the state or jurisdiction where your provider is licensed to practice at the time of the session.

What Happens If You Miss or Late Cancel a Session?

What happens next depends on how your care is covered.

If You Have Sponsored Sessions

Your organization determines how missed appointments are handled. Depending on your company’s specific policy:

• A sponsored session will be deducted from your available session balance, OR
• A standard no-show or late cancellation fee will apply.

Because sponsored sessions are a benefit provided by your organization, Spring Health is required to follow your company’s policy.

If You Area Covered by Insurance or Self-Pay

Once sponsored sessions are fully used—or if they are not included in your Spring Health benefit—missed appointment policies are governed directly by Spring Health.

In these cases:

• A standard no-show or late cancellation fee will apply.
• This fee is billed directly to you and cannot be submitted to your health insurance provider for coverage.

Special Note for California Members 

Under California Knox-Keene regulations, a sponsored session cannot be deducted for a missed or late-cancelled appointment. However, a no-show or late cancellation fee may still be billed directly to you. This fee cannot be covered by the organization sponsoring your Spring Health benefits.

Billing and Auto-Charges

If your plan requires a fee for missed appointments and you have a payment method on file, you may be automatically charged for the missed session. 

Disputing a Charge or Session Deduction

We understand that emergencies and unexpected situations happen, and we want to ensure you remain supported. If you miss or late cancel an appointment, you may be eligible for a one-time courtesy waiver to reverse the fee or restore your lost session. These courtesy adjustments are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed.

• Any dispute regarding a missed appointment fee or session deduction must be submitted within 30 days of the original appointment date. To maintain accurate clinical and billing records, any requests submitted outside of this 30-day window will be automatically denied.

If we’re unable to waive a penalty or fee, it’s because we’re required to apply policies consistently to ensure fair access and availability for all members.

How to Avoid Fees

• Cancel Early: Cancel or reschedule your appointments at least 24 hours in advance through your dashboard.
• Turn on Notifications: Enable email and SMS appointment reminders under your account settings to track your exact cancellation windows.
• Use the Platform: Always use the Spring Health website or mobile app to process changes. As a reminder, sending a direct message to your provider does not officially change an appointment.

Questions About Your Policy?

If you’re unsure which policy applies to you or would like help reviewing a recent cancellation, we’re happy to assist. For questions about your organization’s specific missed appointment policy, your company or organization can provide the most accurate guidance.