Insurance, Payment and Reimbursement
I am currently both a Private Pay Practice and working with Blue Cross Blue Shield of MN. That means if you do not have BCBS, you can pay for services via credit/debit/HSA/FSA and may be able to utilize your Out Of Network Benefits to help cover therapy costs. What I can provide after a session is essentially a receipt called a "super bill" that you can submit to your insurance to request to receive reimbursement.
Why Is This The Case?
Private Pay allows me the flexibility to keep my caseload sustainable so I can keep doing this work long term and attend to my clients with quality care. It also offers flexibility to offer cultural forms of healing to communities that benefit from our traditional forms of healing.
What are my options?
I am taking payments via debit/credit card, Health Savings Accounts, and Flexible Saving Accounts. This information will be take prior to our first appointment in your intake packet.
How to Finesse Insurance:
Check your insurance card to see if you have an HMO or PPO plan.
HMO plan: You are required to see an “in network” provider if you’d like to use your insurance. Before deciding to use your insurance, you may want to determine if your mental health coverage is worth using.
For example, you may consider private pay if your insurance provides no coverage until you reach your deductible and your deductible is so high that you are unlikely to reach it. If you decide not to use your insurance, you are welcome to schedule a free consultation with me.
PPO plan: You are free to pick your providers and may be eligible to use out-of-network insurance benefits to work with me. You will be responsible for paying for each session in full at the time of your appointment. I can provide you with a “super bill” each month that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
To find out how much you will be reimbursed, call the 1-800 number on the back of your insurance card and ask these questions:
Am I able to be reimbursed for seeing an out-of-network mental health provider?
Do I have mental health benefits?
Can I use these benefits for telehealth?
What is my out-of-network deductible and how much of my deductible has been met this year?
Do I need a referral from an in-network provider to see someone out-of-network?
What percentage of each outpatient psychotherapy session is covered?
How do I submit claim forms for reimbursement and how long does it take to receive reimbursement?
How long do I have to submit a superbill?
You may be interested in Private Pay if you are:
Interested in flexibility in frequency of therapy
Looking for specific needs in therapy and/or a provider that may be difficult to meet when only looking at providers covered by your insurance
Wanting privacy by not having a file in your health care record regarding services
Preferring to not have a diagnosis added to your heath care record required for care when using insurance