What types of payment do you accept? Cash, check, card, HSA and PayPal.
What is your cancellation policy? When you must cancel an appointment, please give me at least 24 hours notice. If you are unable to give me 24 hours notice, you will be charged the full fee for the session. I will make exceptions in the case of an emergency, sudden illness and dangerous driving conditions.
Do you accept insurance? I do not accept insurance. Many clients can receive some reimbursement of the fee for out-of-network providers by their insurance or Flexible Spending/Health Savings Accounts by submitting the invoices I provide them. To do this, I will be required to provide a diagnosis for you, and we will discuss this together.
It is best to call your insurance company to find out what your benefits are, to see if you are eligible for reimbursement.
Questions to ask:
Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
What is my deductible and has it been met?
How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
What is the coverage amount per therapy session for an out-of-network mental health provider?
Why don’t you accept insurance? Whenever insurance is used for psychotherapy, the treatment must be “medically necessary”, which means that your therapist must give you a psychiatric diagnosis. This becomes a part of your permanent health care record, and may lead to limitations such as denial for quality life insurance or health insurance later on. Additionally, since a mental health diagnosis must be made to obtain reimbursement, the insurance companies often want detailed personal information. When you pay out of pocket, you may seek psychotherapy for any reason you choose, not only for something “medically necessary”. People use therapy for all kinds of reasons, including personal growth or for help coping with stress, which may not meet the criteria for a diagnosable clinical disorder. I don’t want an insurance company, who doesn’t know you, to make decisions about our work together, including the length of time, type of therapy, and the use of medications. By not participating in managed care networks, I can assure you of the highest degree of privacy, flexibility and control of your mental health records. There is no loss of privacy to insurance companies or employers.