Ok, so why don’t you take insurance?

I have intentionally decided to be an out-of-network provider. While insurance can help manage the cost of medical health services or higher levels of mental health care, there are quite a few hiccups that can occur when accessing outpatient mental health or trauma care through commercial insurance.

Insurance companies set limits on what therapies your practitioner is allowed to use, how often you are able to engage in therapy, how long therapy is allowed to last, and my least favorite – any experiences we are working on together in therapy.

One of the primary run-ins I have found with insurance is that they require their customers to have a “medical necessity” for therapy. This translates to “clients need to be unwell by our standards to need therapy.” There are many reasons that this perspective is unhelpful, but the loudest message is that it says therapy is only for people who are ‘sick’ and once someone is feeling better they shouldn’t have coverage for therapy.

What a bizarre way to approach healthcare, right?

One of the benefits of navigating outside of the insurance markets means that I don’t have to label your trauma or stress responses as being a ‘disorder.’ Of course, diagnoses used can be very validating for some and has the potential to direct treatment, however, once that diagnosis is in your medical records – it’s permanent for insurance companies to use when determining your benefits.

I understand that accessibility is critical and largely undervalued in our culture. While my rates are set, I also have 6-8 spots for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured to pay by donation only. If you feel that my offerings could be of great benefit to you, but finances are a barrier at this time, I ask that you please reach out to me so we can find an arrangement that is mutually supportive.
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If you currently have insurance – I am happy to call your insurance provider to find out what out-of-network benefits/costs look like with your plan. If you go this route, I will provide you with a superbill that describes the services you are receiving, one diagnosis (required by insurance), and my rates. You may find that your benefits will cover part of the cost.

If you have any questions feel free to reach out and we can schedule a phone or text consultation to discuss further.

Also – if all of this information feels like another language to you, I invite you to check out my blog post on the subject or my colleague’s wonderful blog post entitled Insurance 101.