I do not participate in any insurance panels; payment is therefore expected at the time of your session. I will, however, assist you with any forms you may want to submit to your insurance company.
Insurance
Depending on your current health insurance provider or employee benefit plan, it is possible for out-of-network services to be covered in full or in part. Please contact your provider to verify how your plan compensates you for psychotherapy services out of network. At the end of every month, I provide clients with a receipt for all payments that can be used to request reimbursement for therapeutic services. I will work with you to help complete any insurance forms or receipts required for reimbursement submissions.
Recommended questions to ask your insurance provider:
- Does my health insurance plan include mental health benefits?
- Do I have a deductible? If so, what is it and have I met it yet?
- Do I have a reimbursement plan for out-of-network providers? If so, what is the reimbursement amount?
- Does my plan limit how many sessions per calendar year I can have? If so, what is the limit?
- Do I need written approval from my primary care physician in order for services to be covered?
Payment Policy
I accept cash, checks, and all major credit cards as forms of payment.
Payment is made at the start of each session. If you choose to pay electronically, you will be sent an invoice via text from Ivy Pay. Follow the link and enter your billing information to pay online. Charges will appear as “Ivy Labs, Inc.” Rest assured, Ivy Pay is designed to be HIPAA-secure.
Cancellation Policy
All clients are required to give 24 hours’ notice if canceling or rescheduling a session. Clients who are late and/or cancel without giving 24 hours’ notice will be responsible for the full session fee.
Additional Questions
Please contact me with any other questions you may have. I look forward to hearing from you!
Why I Don’t Take Insurance
As a therapist and coach, my mission is to help you grow and change in a safe environment—one in which your confidentiality and goals are protected. Counseling can be a vulnerable experience, and aspects of working with insurance companies may undermine the safe environment I fiercely seek to protect.
These are the reasons why I do not accept insurance:
It’s Not Confidential
If I were to work with insurance companies, I would be required to disclose information to a third-party insurance or technology company (for electronic medical records). This increases the risk of your information being compromised. Additionally, a diagnosis can be disclosed through your insurance company for various reasons, including, for example, if you ever need a federal background check or want to be a pilot. I want you to have the most confidential counseling possible!
You Have to Be Diagnosed
In order for insurance to cover counseling, I have to diagnose you. Even if it’s not appropriate, there must be a diagnosis. For example, someone seeking counseling for help adjusting to a new life event or creating and maintaining a healthier lifestyle would need a diagnosis for it to be covered by insurance. The diagnosis would remain on your permanent medical record. I, along with many therapist colleagues, feel everyone should have access to counseling, not just those who qualify for a diagnosis.
Insurance Companies Decide Your Treatment
Insurance companies determine the number of sessions and their frequency. I believe this should be a collaborative decision between you and your therapist. Sometimes you might need shorter sessions or longer ones. Maybe you’ll need them twice weekly or once a month.
My clients enjoy the freedom to choose which treatment is best alongside their therapist. My solution-focused approach helps clients reach their goals more quickly without relying long-term on therapy.
Simply put, co-pays required by insurance companies can add up quickly over years of therapy! My therapy approach is shorter and strategic. My goal is to get you on track to becoming your own therapist.
Therapy should not last forever. Everything you need is already within you.
