What fax service do psychologists use to send evaluation reports?

Psychologists send evaluation reports through a fax service that signs a BAA, sends from the practice's own number and keeps delivery proof, and for one psychologist at 200 pages a month Fax Pigeon Basic is $4.99 a month billed annually, against $10.70 at SRFax, $14.99 billed monthly at WestFax and $33.33 at eFax Business.

Which fax service do psychologists use for evaluation reports?

The fax service a psychologist needs for evaluation reports signs a BAA, faxes from the practice's own number and keeps a delivery record, and Fax Pigeon Basic meets all three at $4.99 a month billed annually for 200 pages. HHS's cloud computing guidance limits the conduit exception to transmission-only services, with only temporary storage incident to the transmission, so a service that keeps reports in an inbox signs a BAA. Social Security's operations manual tells disability staff to warn senders that email is not secure and to mail or fax records or use Electronic Records Express instead.

Fax Pigeon serves practices of any size, from one psychologist to a team of 100 or more. Fax Pigeon has no team plans: every plan includes unlimited people.

Who receives an evaluation report by fax, and under which rule?

An evaluation report goes by fax to schools, treating physicians, courts and attorneys, Social Security disability examiners and payers, and a different rule lets each one receive it.

The table shows each recipient, what lets a report go to it and the official source.

Social Security accepts a faxed consultative examination report that carries the original handwritten signature, under POMS DI 22510.015. Under 20 CFR 404.1519n, the signature on a report marked "not proofed" or "dictated but not read" is not acceptable, and neither is a rubber stamp signature or one entered by another person. A test report for Social Security names the test and subtests, the date, who gave it, the composite and subtest scores and a narrative (POMS DI 24583.050C.1).

In a federal civil case, a court-ordered mental examination ends in a written report setting out the findings, diagnoses, conclusions and test results, under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 35(b)(2). An IEP team reviews evaluations that parents provide under 34 CFR 300.305(a)(1)(i).

How much of a report should go out?

A report goes out in the part the recipient needs: HIPAA's minimum necessary standard exempts disclosures for treatment and disclosures under an authorization (45 CFR 164.502(b)(2)), and APA Standard 4.04(a) limits written reports to information germane to their purpose. APA Standard 9.04 sends test data to the client or the persons a release names, lets a psychologist refrain to prevent substantial harm or misuse, and without a release allows it out only as law or a court order requires.

Texas rule 22 TAC 465.22(c)(4) keeps test materials out of the patient's record and bars copying them unless law permits or requires it. Psychotherapy notes need an authorization under 45 CFR 164.508(a)(2), apart from the exceptions it lists, and 164.508(b)(3)(ii) lets it be combined only with another psychotherapy notes authorization. Social Security does not need them. The definition and its exceptions are in psychotherapy notes under HIPAA.

What goes on the cover sheet, and what does delivery proof show?

A cover sheet names the recipient, the sender, the date and the page count and carries a confidentiality notice, except on a reply to Social Security, where SSA's request letter must be the first page because it carries a barcode. A fax with a DMA barcode uploads automatically to the claimant's certified electronic folder, and SSA's Electronic Records Express FAQ caps a fax at 200 pages.

The same FAQ says the sending fax machine should show a successful transmission with the number of pages sent. Every delivered Fax Pigeon fax gets delivery proof, and a cover sheet is optional. If a state disability agency doubts that a faxed report was sent, POMS DI 22510.020 has its staff contact the examiner to verify it.

What does HIPAA fax cost a psychologist at 200 and 500 pages?

Among the providers in the table, a psychologist working alone pays least on Fax Pigeon, with a signed BAA: 200 pages cost $4.99 a month on Basic and 500 pages $9.99 on Standard, both billed annually, while SRFax charges $10.70 and $13.65, WestFax $14.99 month to month and eFax Business $33.33.

For one psychologist, the table lists every provider's least expensive plan with a BAA and what it costs a month for 200 or 500 pages sent and received.

SRFax signs its BAA on request, WestFax on every plan, eFax on Business, Corporate and Unite, iFax for Plus and Pro subscribers and Fax.Plus on Enterprise alone, while Sfax takes requests by email or phone. Fax Pigeon signs the BAA at sign-up on every plan.

The second table makes the same comparison for 3 people: each provider's lowest-priced BAA plan, by the month, at 200 and 500 pages, sent and received together.

At 3 people, WestFax moves from Solo to Team at $39.95 month to month and iFax to Pro with 2 team licenses at $66.65 a month billed annually or $79.97 month to month, while the Fax Pigeon price stays at $4.99.

How do psychiatric practices fax prior authorizations?

Psychiatric practices and psychiatric nurse practitioners fax prior authorizations on the payer's or pharmacy benefit's own form, and the decision clock depends on whether the request is for a drug or a medical service. Under CMS-0057-F, impacted payers other than Qualified Health Plan issuers on the Federally Facilitated Exchanges decide medical items and services within 72 hours for expedited requests and seven calendar days for standard ones, from a compliance date starting January 1, 2026, and the rule excludes drugs.

CMS says those deadlines apply whether the request arrives by API, portal, fax or phone, and the clock starts when the payer receives it. A Medicare Part D sponsor decides a drug request no later than 72 hours after receipt, or after the prescriber's supporting statement for an exception (42 CFR 423.568(b)). Texas uses form NOFR002 for prescription drug benefits by fax or mail and form NOFR001 for health care services.

More on how to fax a prior authorization request, HIPAA fax for psychiatrists and HIPAA fax for nurse practitioners.

Which psychologists should switch, and to what?

Psychologists who still send reports by email or from a machine, or whose plan costs more or holds the BAA back for a higher tier, should switch to Fax Pigeon Basic, which is $4.99 a month billed annually for 200 pages. That covers neuropsychologists, school psychologists doing independent evaluations, forensic psychologists, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Social Security does not purchase neuropsychological batteries, and it considers their results when they are in the medical evidence.

The practice's number moves over free on every paid plan; transfers usually finish in 5 to 15 business days, with the number still working at the old provider meanwhile. Billed annually at 200 pages, a year of Fax Pigeon Basic is $59.88, against $128.40 at SRFax and $399.96 at eFax Business.

* Prices last verified October 19, 2026, at each provider's own site. Fax Pigeon is not affiliated with SRFax, eFax, iFax, Fax.Plus, WestFax or Sfax.