Insurance and Cost
Using Superbills and Out-of-Network Benefits
Money is part of the therapy conversation, not something to discover awkwardly later. This guide explains how payment works here, what a superbill is, which questions to ask your insurer and what staying out of network means for you.
How Payment Works in a Self-Pay Practice
This is a self-pay practice. Payment is made directly to the practice at the time of service. Every service begins with an 80-minute initial assessment at $275. After that, individual sessions are $190 for 50 minutes or $275 for 80 minutes, couples sessions are $215 for 50 minutes or $300 for 80 minutes, and family sessions are $275 for 80 minutes. Everything is listed up front on the rates page, because you deserve to know the cost clearly before you commit to anything.
Intensives are paid for the same way. Eating disorder and trauma healing intensives are $1,000 for one day of 6 hours, $1,800 for two days totaling 11 hours and $2,500 for three days totaling 16 hours. Family therapy intensives are $800 for 4 hours or $1,250 for 6 hours. If you are still deciding between formats, weekly therapy or an intensive compares the two side by side.
What a Superbill Is
A superbill is an itemized receipt, the kind insurers require for reimbursement. I provide them monthly. If your plan includes out-of-network benefits, you can submit the superbill to your insurer and ask to be reimbursed for part of what you paid. Whether to submit is entirely your choice. You might send one in every month, or you might decide that keeping your therapy entirely between us matters more to you than the reimbursement. The superbill simply makes the option available.
It also helps to know what a superbill does not do. It does not change the fact that this is a self-pay practice, and it does not guarantee anything about what your plan will pay. You submit it yourself, on your own timeline, if your plan offers out-of-network benefits. If you are unsure whether yours does, the three questions below are the place to start.
Three Questions to Ask Your Insurer First
Before you book, call the number on your insurance card. Benefits vary a great deal from plan to plan, and a short call now can save you a surprise later. Ask these three questions and write down the answers, along with the date and the name of the person you spoke with. Having the answers in hand also makes the cost conversation on the free consultation much simpler:
- Do I have out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits?
- What is my out-of-network deductible, and how much remains?
- What percentage is reimbursed after the deductible is met?
What Staying Out of Network Means for You
Being out of network is not only about payment. It also shapes your privacy and your care. No diagnosis is filed with an insurer unless you choose to submit a superbill. No plan reviewer decides how many sessions you get or when therapy should end; that is something we decide together, reviewing progress openly as we go. You also do not need a diagnosis to start. A few honest sentences about what has been hardest are enough, and we take it from there.
There is a trade-off here, and it is yours to weigh. Submitting superbills may bring some money back, depending on your plan. Not submitting keeps your therapy entirely outside the insurance system. Neither choice is wrong, and you can decide month by month. What matters is that you choose knowingly, with the facts about your own plan in front of you rather than guesses.
Reimbursement Is Never Guaranteed
It is worth being honest about the limits. Reimbursement is never guaranteed, and the amount depends on your plan, your deductible and the percentage it reimburses. Depending on your benefits, it may be a meaningful share of what you paid or very little. Plan on paying the full fee at the time of service, and treat any reimbursement as a welcome return rather than money you are counting on. If the numbers do not work once you know your benefits, tell me. There may still be a way forward.
The Sliding Scale, in Plain Terms
If you cannot afford my rate, I do not want that to be an obstacle to getting the help you need. I offer a limited number of sliding scale spots between $90 and $190. If that is you, there is no judgment. I simply ask that you come from a place of integrity of what you truly can afford, because those spots are reserved for people who truly need them. You can raise it on the consultation call or mention it in your note on the contact form.
Please bring cost up early, even on the very first call. Raising it will not offend me, and talking about it now beats starting therapy quietly worried about the bill. Every figure on this page is one you can ask me about directly before you book anything. Clear numbers up front are part of how trust starts in this work, and that goes both ways.
Cancellations and Other Practical Details
Your appointment time is held specifically for you, which is why the cancellation policy exists. Please give at least 24 hours' notice if you need to change a session. If less notice is possible but the slot can be filled, or you reschedule for another time that same day, there is no charge, and a phone appointment may be an option. No-shows and late cancellations whose slot cannot be filled are charged the full session fee. If anything about cost or policy worries you, raise it directly, and the common questions page covers more.
Common Questions
Do you take insurance?
This is a self-pay practice, so payment is made directly to the practice at the time of service. I provide monthly superbills that you can submit to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement.
Will my insurance reimburse me?
That depends on your plan, and reimbursement is never guaranteed. Ask whether you have out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits, what your out-of-network deductible is and how much remains, and what percentage is reimbursed after the deductible is met.
Is a diagnosis sent to my insurer?
Not unless you choose to submit a superbill. Staying out of network means no diagnosis is filed with an insurer on your behalf, and no plan reviewer decides how many sessions you get.
How does the sliding scale work?
A limited number of sliding scale spots are available between $90 and $190. Ask about it on the free consultation call. There is no judgment, and I only ask that you come from a place of integrity about what you can truly afford.
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