Frequently Asked Questions
Do you take insurance?
No, I’m not on any insurance panels. Why? Well, the short answer is that the mental healthcare system is this country is a hot mess. If you’re new to the world of therapy, and you’re trying to understand why it’s so hard to get help, then this ProPublica article from August, 2024 may be a good place to start.
If you have “out-of-network benefits” (typically as part of PPO plan), then it may be possible to submit bills for out-of-network providers (like me) and be reimbursed. If you’re not sure about your insurance benefits, then give them a call and ask them these questions:
Does my plan have out-of-network benefits?
(If your plan does not, ask your employer if they offer a plan with out-of-network benefits, and when is the next enrollment period.)
Do I need a prior approval or a referral to begin working with an out-of-network provider?
What is my co-pay and/or co-insurance for out-of-network sessions?
What is my out-of-network deductible? Has it been met for this year?
Does my plan have an out-of-pocket maximum? If so, what is it?
What is the allowed amount of sessions for out-of-network individual therapy (CPT code 90834) or group therapy (CPT code 90853)?
Does my plan have a limit on how many sessions it covers in a year? If so, what is it?
How many therapy sessions do I need?
That’s a good question, and the answer really depends most on what you decide. Therapy is the kind of thing where you get out of it what you put into it. There are no cheat codes for growing as a person. If you listen to your feelings and talk honestly, then the process tends to move swiftly. On the other hand, if you try to avoid the things you can’t bring yourself to say out loud, that tends to slow things down.
It’s not uncommon for some people to feel some relief from symptoms (e.g., less depressed, fewer panic attacks) within a few weeks or months, but that varies person to person. The big question is, “What’s at the root of all of this?” How “deep” you go is also a matter of what you decide. Some people really want to dive in, and other people choose something more modest.
Generally what I find is if we’re meeting once a week, then we’re usually able to make progress on an issue. If we’re meeting every other week, then it’s more like treading water. If we meet less often, then it’s really not much more than a check-in; there’s just too much to catch up on. So it’s often best to start with the assumption of meeting once a week.
What can I expect in a first session?
You can think of the first session as a two-way street. It’s a chance for you to ask questions and see if you feel comfortable with me. For me, it’s a chance to learn more about you and what you need. I want to make sure that I’m someone who’s going to be in a position to help. I’ll probably ask a lot of questions so that I can get a better understanding of who you are and what your life is like. (If there are things you prefer not to talk about, you can always say so.) We may even decide to extend this “evaluation” stage beyond the first session to make sure we’re both ready to get started. In some cases, I may realize that you would benefit from a provider with a different specialty or skill set than I have. In those cases, I can provide referrals and suggestions. The same thing goes if you decide you’d rather not work with me; I can give you suggestions of colleagues you might contact.
What’s your cancellation policy?
Life happens. Maybe you need to cancel. I ask that you give me 24-hrs. notice. Any session cancelled with less than 24-hrs. notice will be charged the full rate of the missed session. I don’t make it my business to decide what constitutes a “good” reason to cancel sessions, and so I reserve the right to charge for any session cancelled without full notice. There is no cancellation fee for sessions changed or cancelled with more than 24-hrs. notice.
How long are sessions?
The initial evaluation session is 50 minutes. Individual sessions are 45 minutes. Couples sessions are 50 minutes. Group sessions are 75 minutes.
How much do sessions cost? Do you have a sliding scale?
Individual sessions are $230. Group sessions are $58. Couples therapy is $255. I can sometimes make modest fee adjustments if you find my normal fee to be out of reach.
What is the “No Surprises Act” and how does it relate to therapy?
The “No Surprises Act” was a bipartisan law passed in 2020 intended to stop large facilities from surprising patients with out-of-network costs. For example, imagine you go to a hospital because you broke your foot. The hospital is “in-network” with your insurance, so that’s great. You see a doctor— also great. And then later out of nowhere, you get a bill for thousands of dollars because technically this specific ER doctor was not “in-network” with your insurance. So the law was intended to stop these “surprises.”
When Congress drafted the law, they included all healthcare providers— including psychologists. The law requires disclosures of fees upfront for any “out-of-network” or self-pay service. The healthcare professional must provide a “good faith estimate” of the anticipated costs.
What does this mean for therapy? Honestly, it doesn’t change much. The ethical code for psychologists has always required us to practice “in good faith.” Clients always know my fees in advance, and there are no “surprises” because you always know what each session costs. In accordance with the law, I now provide a written document that provides estimates if you elect to stay in therapy for various lengths of time.
Can I see the notice that’s required by the “No Surprises Act”?
Of course. Here you go:
Your Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills
When you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing.
What is “balance billing” (sometimes called “surprise billing”)?
When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, such as a copayment, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.
“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit.
“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care—like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in- network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider.
You are protected from balance billing for:
Emergency services
If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of- network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in- network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services.
Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center
When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed.
If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance bill you, unless you give written consent and give up your protections.
You’re never required to give up your protections from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.
When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have the following protections:
You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly.
Your health plan generally must:
o Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in
advance (prior authorization).
o Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers.
o Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in-network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits.
o Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your deductible and out-of-pocket limit.
If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers/payment-disagreements
Visit www.cms.gov for more information about your rights under federal law.