Fees & Insurance
Fees
My standard rate is $225.00 for a 50-minute session. Longer or shorter sessions can be arranged at a prorated rate. A good faith estimate is available upon request.
Policies
Payment for each visit is due at the time of the session unless other arrangements have been made. I accept cash, check, and most major credit cards.
Appointment Cancellations
Consistency is key in reaching your therapeutic goals, so it is best to keep our regularly scheduled appointments. However, if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please do so within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment. If you cancel an appointment less than 24 hours in advance of our scheduled meeting, you will be responsible for your full session fee.
Insurance
Many insurance companies will cover some portion of mental health services, but every plan is different. I am not a provider on any panels for specific companies*. However, if you have a PPO plan, there is a good chance that your insurance will provide some compensation for "out-of-network" providers. For those who want to utilize this, I am happy to submit claims directly to your insurance carrier for you. Alternatively, I can provide a superbill for you to submit yourself. If you are interested in working with me and feel that you would like your insurance to reimburse you for some or all of your costs, you will need to contact your insurance company to determine your coverage for reimbursement. Some questions you should ask:
• Do I need a referral from a physician before I can get therapy?
• Does my insurance cover a provider outside of network?
• What is my deductible that must be met first?
• How much will my plan cover for each session? (Please note that this may be a specific dollar amount or percentage of the fee or some combination between the two)
• Is there a limit for number of sessions per year or on amount of fees per year?
• Some questions insurance companies may ask are my license (Marriage and Family Therapist or MFT) and the procedure/CPT codes I generally use (90834 is a standard length individual session, 90847 is a family session).
Please understand that I cannot guarantee coverage, so please be sure to check with your insurance company before we begin working together if you require your insurance to assist you.
*The one exception to this is the ILWU/Coastwise insurance plan for Longshoremen. While I am not an "in-network" provider, I do have an established relationship with this insurance company and will submit directly to insurance for you to receive payment for services. Please be aware, however, that you will be responsible for any portion of service costs not covered by your insurance, including co-pays.
Privacy Considerations
If you are considering using your insurance to pay for all or some of your therapy, there are certain additional considerations you should understand. I am committed to doing everything possible to maintain confidentiality in working with you. However, when you choose to pay for your own therapy rather than going through your insurance company, you maintain greater control over your treatment and privacy. Insurance companies require a mental illness diagnosis in order to process and reimburse claims. Some companies also want additional personal information and/or treatment progress reports to determine fee payment, length of treatment, etc. Additionally, it is possible that this personal information, including your diagnosis, will remain in your medical history and might affect later access to health or disability coverage, even after you've made progress and no longer need therapy.