Frequently-Asked Questions about Treatment Cost

What forms of payment are possible?

Online, before session: Take care of an upcoming session via Paypal.(You needn’t have an account.)  Send to dfalk@uw.edu on your own, or ask that I email you an invoice first.

In person, at session: Personal check, cashier’s check or cash.
For clients owing just a tiny insurance co-payment, this is appreciated!

Auto-pay, after session: The credit or debit card account you have on file would be securely debited for you, just after our appointment. 

How does the auto-pay option work?

At the same time clients provide written contact information and reasons for seeking therapy (on the client history and consent forms) they also file a secure credit or debit card account, to which their treatment may be processed if they wish. If they choose auto-pay, each time they have an appointment, the service will be deducted without need for further paperwork or presentation of the actual card. This enables us to devote the full session time to therapy. If clients choose some other form of payment, auto-pay serves as a backup.

When clients have just a smallish payment to make at each session (like a $30 insurance co-pay, for example) a check is appreciated rather than using credit, but either works fine.


Why does the first evaluation session cost more than the regular weekly sessions do?

Initial sessions with a psychiatrist or psychologist cost more because quite a bit of time goes into that evaluation outside of the actual session. I’ll be writing an assessment of all the ground we cover in that first session (a lot of ground, usually!) This is called an “intake report.” It’s important for several reasons: (1) it helps me formulate what therapeutic approach is most likely to be fruitful for you; (2) it enables me to fully recall the details of your story; (3) should you see another healthcare provider, now or in the future, the intake report facilitates your care.

Do you accept health insurance?

Yes, but it works in different ways depending upon whom your insurance policy is with.

If you have Premera-Blue Cross or LifeWise, I file claims for reimbursement directly with your carrier (if you choose to use your insurance.) You would have a very small share to pay at each session, if anything, depending upon how fully your policy covers psychotherapy and whether there’s a deductible to satisfy.

If you choose to use your coverage, you’d pay for the first few sessions up-front, while I file claims on your behalf with Premera-Blue Cross or LifeWise. Within three weeks or so, we should know how fully they will cover your sessions. (I am always surprised by how much this varies!)

Once your coverage is established, I quickly reconcile our record.
If a refund is due to you, that will occur promptly. From then on, we can safely bill your insurance company directly for sessions, charging you only your co-pay (if any) for each session.

If you have insurance, but not Premera-Blue Cross or LifeWise,
you can still use your insurance, but your carrier will reimburse you at whatever rate they use for “out-of-network” providers. In rough terms, you might expect them to cover 70%-80% of your investment in treatment, rather than the 80%-95% they might cover if you chose someone on their list. These figures vary not only by insurance company, but by the plan you have within that company, so research your policy in advance if this is important to your decision.

If I would be an out-of-network provider for you, I’ll ask that you pay at the time of each session, by any method you wish. I’ll give you a Record of Services Provided (receipt) which you may submit it for a reimbursement check from your insurance or credit towards your deductible. The RSP includes all the codes your insurance company would need to process your claim.

Why those few weeks of my paying at our session if we know that I have insurance and that you’re on my preferred provider list?

Because coverage is surprisingly complicated and the insurance companies are crafty little weasels.

Most of us aren’t entirely familiar with the details of our insurance coverage: Do you need to satisfy a deductible before they begin to cover treatment? Is the deductible different for mental health benefits than it is for medical visits? Do they cover you up to a certain amount then expect you to pay a “bridge amount” before they’ll pay for more sessions? Do you need pre-authorization to see a psychologist? Is there a session limit? Could there be some other policy in your family they will claim should share in reimbursing you (and require you to file with?) You get the picture.

Since clients are financially responsible for treatment even if their insurance doesn’t come through as they’d thought it would, I like to prevent your owing money by our being conservative about assuming full insurance reimbursement. When the true coverage amount is revealed, if there’s a difference owed you, I swiftly refund you.
Less anxiety for us both.
                                                     

                                                      

Yellow-bellied weasel 
   (Mustela kathiah)

How much will I pay out-of-pocket if I want to utilize insurance but you’re not on my insurance carrier’s list of network providers?

This varies based upon your insurance. In general, the swankier your policy, the more freedom of choice they allow you. Your plan could provide 100% coverage for any psychologist you choose, but more often, they reimburse at a higher rate if you see a provider on their network list (someone who is on contract with them) than if you see a provider who is “out of network.” If you want a personalized answer to this before proceeding, call the number on your insurance card to ask about your policy’s coverage when you see a Licensed Psychologist out-of-network.

I always offer clients a Record of Services Provided (a receipt).
You will want this if you are seeking out-of-network insurance reimbursement or claiming a tax deduction for your medical expenses.

How will the privacy of my payment record be protected?

Clients are never mailed anything, unless they specifically request such. Because they do not carry a balance, there’s no need for “billing” in the traditional sense, which keeps records more secure. You may also elect not to receive a Record of Services Provided.

What if I don’t have health insurance -- or if I do have it, but don’t want any record of my having sought therapy?

It’s totally up to you. You may pay out-of-pocket if you prefer your insurance company not have knowledge of your treatment and diagnosis (which they do require if we file a claim with them.) You’d simply refer to the list of services, at left, for the cost without insurance involved. This is called treatment on a fee-for-service basis; it’s common practice.

May I spread out my sessions to spread out my cost?

Yes, some people schedule therapy for every-other week rather than every week. Some people begin by coming weekly, then reduce to every-other when it makes sense to do so, but it’s also fine to meet every-other week from the outset.