Fees
Session fees are payable by cash, check or Venmo. If you wish to use debit or credit, including HSA cards, additional credit card processing fees will apply.
Please call for current session fees.
I offer competitive rates for my skill as a therapist, 25 years of clinical experience, and quality of training and continued education in the field of counseling and depth-work psychotherapy. Because counseling addresses such critical areas of your life, it is very important to interview several therapists to get a feel for them on the phone and choose a clinician you "click" with. I welcome you to call me for a complimentary 15-minute phone call to do just that. Please read below for more information about insurance, out-of-network insurance benefits, payment options, and my cancellation policy.
Insurance
After working for the insurance companies for 18 years, I made the decision to terminate my contracts with them, and I no longer accept insurance plans. I made this decision due to their fundamentally low pay for professional counseling services, lack of consistent rate increases for mental health providers commensurate with increases in cost of living, and failure to reimburse for the presenting diagnoses I most commonly treat, such as complex trauma, or for preventative services like personal development that do not necessitate mental health diagnoses. It is my hope as a mental health counselor that the insurance industry will improve these problematic areas so that therapists are able to benefit as providers and policy holders can utilize their benefits to the fullest.
While I am not a contracted, in-network provider for any insurance providers, I am considered an out-of-network provider for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of FL and most other insurance plans. This means I can file your insurance claims but the insurance company will only pay the claim according to your "out-of-network" benefits, which generally pay less or are subject to higher deductibles. Plans vary greatly, so please check your coverage carefully prior to contacting me by asking your insurance carrier representative the following questions:
- Do I have mental health insurance benefits on my policy?
- Do I have "out-of-network" mental health insurance benefits that may cover part of the fee?
- What is my out-of-network deductible and has it been met?
- What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
- Is an authorization required prior to my first session?
- How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
- CPT Codes are used for filing claims. The insurance representative may want to know what codes I submit on claims. For the assessment session I submit code 90791 and for subsequent one-hour sessions, the code is 90837.
It is my policy to receive full payment at the time of the session. I file electronic claims on behalf of my clients as a courtesy. Your insurance company will then pay you directly according to your out-of-network benefits.
Cancellation Policy
I provide appointment reminders as a courtesy. If you do not show up for your scheduled therapy appointment, and you have not notified me at least 24 hours in advance, you will be required to pay $100 for the contracted time I set aside for you. It is not possible for me to double-book sessions as a therapist. Therefore, when you don't give at least 24 hours notice so I can fill your spot with someone on my waiting list, I lose 100% of my income for the hour. This is uncool. Hence, the $100 fee to cover my overhead and other expenses. I do require a copy of your credit card payment information to be kept on file so that I can charge for missed sessions.