FEES/INSURANCE
Payment is required at the time of service, and may be made by cash, check, bill pay, or Zelle. Fees are subject to change on a periodic basis. Statements are available for tax purposes, or for third-party reimbursement by insurance, FSA, or HSA plans. Please note that 24 hour advance cancellation of scheduled appointments is required in order to avoid being billed in full for the session fee.
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​Health Insurance Reimbursement
Patients who have health insurance and wish to seek reimbursement for my services will find this is available through most group or employer-sponsored plans on an “out of network” basis (more on this below).
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The best way to determine what portion of my services will be reimbursed by your insurance company is to contact them directly by calling the customer service phone number on the back of your insurance card (there is often a separate number for mental or behavioral health services). When speaking with your insurance company, you will want to ask them the following questions:
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What are my “out of network” outpatient mental health benefits?
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How many sessions per year are covered by my plan?
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What percentage of each visit is covered by my plan?
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Is there a deductible I must meet before my benefits are paid?
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Of course, even individuals who have health insurance elect not to use it for coverage of mental health services, and instead pay for therapy as an “out of pocket” expense, or via a health savings account. Most often, this decision is based upon concerns about the privacy of protected health information, and the potential release of this information to health insurance companies and their affiliated entities. Admittedly, the many woeful inadequacies and inefficiencies of the health insurance industry have led me to discontinue my direct partnership with it. I do, however, quite firmly believe that those with insurance should be able to use it for psychotherapy. At the same time, I respect the right of patients to maintain full control over their protected medical and health information. Should you choose not to use your health insurance to cover my services, your personal information and medical records will remain completely confidential, with no access granted to third party payors or their affiliates.
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A Comment on the Cost of Psychotherapy
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Like many professional services of which we need or choose to avail ourselves in life, therapy is not inexpensive. For this reason, I want my patients to know that I fully appreciate the great investment (of time, energy, and money) they are making in working with me. I also want them to know that I am therefore committed to helping them reach their goals for change as quickly and efficiently as possible. The good news is that the primary determinant of how quickly you get there will be your own motivation to do so. I will work hard to provide you with the best tools and techniques available, but you will have to work much harder than I do to get better. I would love for you to be ready for change right now, but if you are not, you may wish to wait until your hunger for it grows even stronger before initiating treatment. I will most certainly talk with you about this in our very first meeting.
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