Paying for therapy
You may have heard that it’s hard to get decent mental health care. You may have also heard that it’s expensive and that insurance doesn’t cover it. This is partially true, but there are some caveats. Recently it has become somewhat easier for people to access health benefits for mental health care. Following the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare) the majority of my clients now use insurance to cover a portion of their therapy costs.
HMO or PPO?
This information might be listed on your insurance card or in the materials that came with your policy. If you can’t find the information on the documentation you have at home, you can call the 1-800 number listed on your insurance card and ask them whether you’re on an HMO or PPO policy.
If you have an HMO...
There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that your insurance probably covers therapy and you’ll likely only pay a small co-pay for each session.
The bad news is that you’ll have to pick a therapist who is on their list of providers. I'm not in network with any HMO providers. The insurance company may also impose limits on how many sessions you can have and how frequently you can meet with the therapist (this varies by insurance company).
It can sometimes be a challenge to find someone in network who is also accepting new clients. This process can obviously be difficult and frustrating when you’re already not feeling great. If you’re having a hard time finding someone in network, you have my sincere sympathy, and I genuinely hope you find someone soon. The best way to find someone in network is to call people directly from the insurance provider’s list. I encourage you to not give up.
If you decide you'd like to meet with me anyway, I can meet with you as a private pay client.
If you have a PPO...
You’ll have your choice of going to any therapist you’d like to see. This is how the majority of my clients pay for their therapy. Clients pay their weekly fee to me directly. Then, at the end of each month, I provide my clients with a form to submit to their insurance companies, and their insurance companies then send them a check, reimbursing them for a portion of their session fee. The amount each insurance plan pays varies. If you need to know how much your plan will pay before you get started, you should check directly with your insurance company about their reimbursement rate for out-of-network providers.
My Session Fees
My weekly fee for individuals meeting with me one time per week is $210. Typically, individual sessions are 50 minutes. My weekly fee for couples/relationship therapy is $225 for a 50 minute session. If you are working with me as a private pay client, you are responsible for all of the session fee. If you have a PPO, you can be reimbursed for a portion of this by your insurance provider.
Still not sure?
If you’re looking for therapy in San Francisco and aren’t sure whether your insurance company will cover it, feel free to give me a call at 415-261-2989. I’ll be happy to discuss your particular situation with you.