Rates & Insurance

Rates

Initial Counseling Intake (60 minutes): $145

Individual Counseling Session (53 minutes): $130

EMDR Intensives Packages ($150/hour, private pay only):

• 6-hour program – $900
  • One 90-minute pre-consultation interview
  • Assessment to identify symptoms
  • Preparation for your intensive treatment experience
  • 3-hour intensive session of client-centered treatment
  • One 90-minute post-treatment interview
  • More time may be added for an additional fee as needed ($150/hour)
  • Optional (b/c homework isn’t for everyone!): Personalized treatment workbook ($100)
• 9 Hour Program – $1350
  • One 90-minute pre-consultation interview
  • Assessment to identify symptoms
  • Preparation for your intensive treatment experience
• 6 hours of client-centered treatment
  • Three days (2 hours each) OR Two days (3 hours each)
  • One 90-minute post-treatment interview
  • More time may be added for an additional fee as needed ($150/hour)
  • Optional (b/c homework isn’t for everyone!): Personalized treatment workbook ($100)

Insurance

I will be an in-network provider for most Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO plans through 12/31/24.  As an in-network provider, I file claims on your behalf. You are typically responsible for your deductible, and once your deductible is met, you pay your contracted co-payment/co-insurance fee at each session.  Starting January 1, 2025, I will be an out of network provider for BCBS-PPO.

Please note: Because EMDR Intensives are a premium service, they not typically covered by insurance.  You will be required to pay in full for EMDR Intensive Packages.

If you wish to use out-of-network benefits and these are available on your plan, you are responsible for the full fee at each session.

Most insurance plans for whom I am out of network will cover one psychotherapy session per week, except those that only provide reimbursement if you see a doctor in their network.  Since I am an “out of network provider”, patients may need to meet a deductible, and then they will be reimbursed a certain percentage of each session fee after that.  This amount varies from one insurance carrier to another.  Payment is expected at the time of service.  I will provide you with a Superbill that includes all the information needed to submit a claim to your insurance company.  If you have any questions about how to obtain reimbursement, I will be happy to discuss them with you.

Some questions you might have for your insurance carriers are:

• What are my mental health benefits?
• Do I have “out of network” coverage for outpatient mental health services?
• What is the coverage per therapy session? (if a percentage is quoted, make sure you ask if that is a percentage of the therapist’s fee or a percentage of the insurance company’s “customary fee”)
• How many sessions does my plan cover?
• Is approval required by my primary care physician?
• Is there a preauthorization involved?

Risks of Using Insurance

Insurance companies only pay for things that are “medically necessary.” This means that someone has to actually diagnose you with a mental health disorder AND prove that it is impacting your health on a day-to-day basis.  Anything that is part of your file becomes a permanent part of your file. This means that when you apply for new health insurance, life insurance, and certain types of job, they can require an authorization to release information to view your entire medical record.

You can be told over the phone that something is covered and you can still be denied once they review the diagnosis. If the therapist receives a denial of the claim, you are then responsible for the bill.

(Summarized from http://www.apeacefullifecounseling.com/using-health-insurance-to-cover-counseling/)

Payment

I accept cash, check and all major credit cards as forms of payment.

In many cases therapy sessions are reimbursable through Health Spending Accounts offered by your employer. Please check with your benefits department.

Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to attend a session, please make sure you cancel at least 24 hours beforehand. Otherwise, you may be charged for the full rate of the session.  For EMDR Intensive sessions, a 72 hour cancelation policy will be enforced.

Good Faith Estimate

Under The No Surprises Act (Title 45, section 149.610 of the Code of Federal Regulations), you have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost.

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance, or who are not using insurance, an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services.

You can ask your health care provider, or any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service.

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, for $25, you can dispute the bill.  Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises

Any Other Questions

Please contact me for any additional questions you may have. I look forward to hearing from you!