Marina at Mesa Verde National Park
Couples and Family Therapy, and Discernment Counseling
$400 per 50 minutes
Individual Therapy, including EMDR
$250 per 50 minutes
Insurance
Although I do not take insurance, there are a few ways clients can reduce the cost of therapy
Using FSA (Flexible Spending Account) or HSA (Health Savings Account) funds
If you itemize on your taxes, therapy is a qualified medical expense that you can deduct
Using your insurance for out-of-network benefits
Out-of-network Benefits
I recommend you verify details with your insurance company prior to starting therapy. Even if they won’t pay you back anything, they might allow the cost of therapy to count towards your deductible. Given how messed up our healthcare system is, I recommend you get details in writing, if possible.
Here are the questions you’ll need to ask. Be sure to document what date and time you called, who you spoke with, and their answers.
Do they offer out-of-network benefits? If the answer is “no,” then ask if the cost of therapy can count towards your deductible
If they do cover out-of-network benefits, here’s the second set of questions
Is there a deductible? If yes, how much is it? Is the deductible per person or per family?
Do they cover a flat rate or a percentage of the cost? For instance, a flat rate might be that they will reimburse you up to $100 per session. A percentage would be covering you at X percent of the total cost. So if the session cost is $250, and they cover 80%, then they would reimburse you $200 of the cost for each session
Most insurances only cover certain diagnoses and certain service codes, so here’s the third set of questions
For couples therapy: Do they cover service (CPT) code 90847? If they do not, ask and write down what codes they do cover
For individual therapy: Do they cover service (CPT) codes 90837 or 90834? If they don’t, ask and write down what codes they do cover
ICD codes are the problems or diagnoses. Are there specific diagnoses that are covered? Ask if they need a code starting with a "F." Can if be any F code, or only specific ones?
My system will automatically send you a statement for insurance (strangely called a “superbill,” even though it’s not a bill) on the 3rd of each month. If your insurance company does offer out-of-network benefits, you will want to ensure the superbill you receive on the 3rd of the month meets the requirements (in terms of service codes and diagnostic codes). Then you can submit the superbill to the insurance company for them to reimburse you directly.
Nerd alert! Marina between the European and North American tectonic plates
Wondering why I don’t take insurance?
It’s a legit question. The answer is a little complicated and has a multiple-part answer.
According to the National Association of Insurance Commisioners’ 2020 annual report, there were 1,096 insurance companies operating in the US in 2019. I’m licensed in 4 states - Colorado, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Alaska. So that’s a lot of insurance companies
I’m not a fan of paperwork (I’m a fan of people!), so I would have to hire someone to do that for me - a cost not reimbursed by insurance
Some insurance companies (and/or some insurance plans) don’t cover couples therapy. They certainly don’t cover extended sessions, which I find most effective
They often dictate treatment, including how many sessions are covered and which types of interventions can be used. So I couldn’t always make the best decision for you (the client); I would sometimes be required to make the best decision for your insurance company
Usually, their reimbursement is crap. Some reimburse as little as $27 for 53 minutes of therapy. Although I’m not planning on it anytime soon, I would like to retire someday
Mental health therapists are the lowest paid mid-level medical providers
I completely understand if you want to use your insurance rather than pay out-of-pocket! You have every right to do that