Pay:

I am currently an ‘out-of-network’ provider with all insurance companies. This means I accept self-pay (out of pocket), or if you have insurance, I can provide an invoice (or “superbill”) for you to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Payment: I will collect payment on the day of service. I accept all major credit cards and Health Savings Account (HSA) cards. These are processed using the secure Simple Practice patient portal.

Benefits of self-pay:

Self-pay (paying out of pocket and not involving insurance) has several benefits including easier access to me, increased privacy, and greater freedom in treatment decisions.

More Accessible: I maintain a smaller caseload, which means I can be more accessible, including more available appointment times than your typical therapist. I am also less likely to have an extended waitlist and can provide customized attention.

More Private: There is no need to communicate with or provide sensitive information to insurance companies or third parties. This means what we discuss in therapy is ultimately more confidential. Even if you request a “superbill” and get reimbursement from your insurance company, less detailed information is required to provide them.

More Freedom: You can choose the therapist you want rather than being limited to who your insurance will accept. With private pay, there is no need for me to assign a psychiatric diagnosis in your record, and we have more control over how we tailor and prioritize treatment to your individual needs. For example, there will be no issues or limits with how long or how many sessions you can be seen for. No third party must authorize or put their parameters on your care.

Insurance and the basics of superbills:

I am currently an ‘out-of-network’ provider with all insurance companies.

However, don’t let this stop you! Many insurance plans DO allow for out-of-network benefits and will reimburse for seeing out-of-network providers. The tradeoff is usually a higher deductible and paying a higher percentage of the amount due out of pocket.

If you want to use your insurance, I will still collect payment on the day of service but will provide you with an invoice (“superbill”) to submit to your insurance company. This can usually be done online, and you will receive their reimbursement directly. You are responsible for paying any bill not covered by your insurance plan.  

Everyone’s plans are different. Before starting, you will need to check with your insurance provider to confirm what out-of-network coverage you have for mental healthcare. Here are some questions to ask your insurer:

What are my outpatient out-of-network mental health benefits?

What is my annual out-of-network psychotherapy deductible, and how much have I already met?

How many sessions per year are covered, and what is the coverage amount per therapy session?

They may ask for my zip code (99503) because reimbursement rates vary by location. They may also ask for a billing CPT code. You can tell your insurer I will use CPT code 90791 for the first intake session. After that, you will submit claims for “individual outpatient psychotherapy, 60 minutes, known by its CPT billing code 90837.