I require 24 hours notice for cancellations and rescheduling requests. If you cancel with less than 24 hours notice, or no show to your appointment, I charge a $100 late cancellation / no show fee. Please contact me directly at 828-845-8192 or at [email protected] if you need to cancel or reschedule.

There is not a right or wrong answer to whether using your insurance benefits is right for you. For many people, using their insurance benefits significantly reduces the cost of care.

There are important considerations with using insurance:

1.) All insurance billing, whether in- or out-of-network, requires a diagnosis and medical necessity. Most diagnoses are covered, but some such as V or Z codes (e.g. Relationship Distress With Spouse or Intimate Partner or Uncomplicated Bereavement) may not be covered. Some people may not wish to have a diagnosis applied to them, which may preclude you from using your insurance benefits for counseling services.

2.) Insurance companies reserve the right to request a summary of treatment or your full medical record to establish medical necessity when your benefits are used.

3.) Some insurance plans may require preauthorization or limit the number of sessions they may pay for.

4.) Insurance companies set the reimbursement rate for services. If you have a deductible and wish to use your in-network benefits, the cost of your session is determined by the insurance company rather than established by you and your provider.

5.) There is not a properly established procedure code for couples counseling, which means that even though there is a diagnosis code that may be covered, there is not a corresponding procedure code for couples counseling (versus individual counseling with another present or family counseling).

6.) Insurance companies will not commit to out-of-pocket costs for in-network services prior to processing a claim. As such, I do my best to provide you with an estimate of what we think your portion of payment will be ahead of working with you, but I will not be able to know for sure what they will pay until the first claim submitted is processed and marked as paid. Payment information for a service will be stated on an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) available to you and your provider.

There may be additional considerations beyond those listed above which may preclude you from choosing to use your insurance.

I am required to demonstrate medical necessity when insurance (both in and out-of-network), FAS and HSA accounts are used. This means I will assign a formal diagnosis in all of the above circumstances. With private pay, I will diagnose when indicated and I will discuss all diagnoses with you.

Yes, I can assist you with out-of-network billing.

I work with a company named Thrizer that simplifies out-of-network billing. They will collect your payment at the time of service and submit the superbill information to your insurance company.

Please be aware that not all companies or plans will cover my practice.

Medicaid and Medicare do not provide out-of-network benefits.

My standard private pay rates are $200 for a 75-minute intake and $150 for a 55-minute counseling session.

If you elect to not use your insurance, you will receive a Good Faith Estimate describing how much your care will cost. Due to the nature of therapy being very individual, I’m unable to provide a GFE with an exact number of sessions and treatment length at the start of therapy. I will provide you with a GFE identifying session length and rate as agreed upon, reflecting the cost per session. It will include the cost of treatment for 4, 8, and 12 sessions at the agreed upon rate.

Therapy is a unique and fluid process, and it is not possible to anticipate how many sessions will be necessary or appropriate for your course of therapy. Your total cost of services will depend upon the number of psychotherapy sessions you attend, your individual circumstances, and the type and amount of services that are provided to you.

The GFE is not a contract and does not obligate you to obtain any services from the provider(s) listed.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate or the dispute process, visit https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers or call 1- 800-985-3059. The initiation of the patient-provider dispute resolution process will not adversely affect the quality of the services furnished to you.