Pricing
- $150 for individual sessions (50-55 minutes)
- Initial Telephone Consultation: There is no Charge for initial 15-20 minute call prior to first appointment. During this call, you get to see what it would be like to work with me and ask any questions you have about the counseling process. I will also ask you questions to make sure online therapy is the best option for you at this time.
- Payments are due at the time of service. All clients are required to keep a credit card on file through a secure payment app for payment. Payment can be made by debit card, credit card, or Health Savings Account (HSA) card.
Citron Therapy does not accept insurance and therefore is considered an “out-of-network provider.” Should you want to use your insurance, you will want to check your coverage regarding out-of-network benefits. You can call the member services phone number on the back of your insurance card and ask the following questions:
- Do I have out-of-network coverage for mental health services provided through telehealth?
- What is my yearly deductible? Has it been met or how much more until my deductible is met?
- How many sessions per year does my plan cover?
- How much does my insurance plan reimburse for an out-of-network provider for CPT codes 90834 and 90837?
- What is my co-payment (if applicable)?
- Do I need prior authorization?
- Do I need approval from my primary care provider?
- What is the home and mailing address on my file? (important to ensure checks are issued to the correct address)
- How do I submit a super bill? Is there an online portal or do I have to mail a copy?
- What is the time limit to submit a super bill?
Why Some People Choose Not to Use Their Insurance for Mental Health Counseling
While using health insurance benefits can help to save money in the short-term, this benefit should be weighed against the risk of losing the confidentiality of your sessions. Health insurance companies require a health diagnosis in order to cover psychotherapy sessions. When you use your health insurance, your counseling sessions and confidential information (including your mental health diagnosis) become part of your permanent medical records. Insurance companies have the legal right to grant access to your medical records. Some of the implications of this are as follows:
- Insurance companies sometimes ask for detailed information to justify reimbursement for treatment that you may prefer to keep private. This information may include your diagnosis, symptoms, personal history, substance use, and summaries of your actual sessions.
- These documents then become part of your medical record, which can be accessed by other insurance companies and have broad implications. For example, you should realize that if you are ever asked whether you have been treated for a psychiatric issue (for example, on a life insurance application), you will have to answer “yes” because your medical record will contain this information.
- Insurance companies sometimes become very directive with healthcare providers, sometimes even dictating what questions are to be asked, along with a requirement to document the client’s responses.
- You must have a diagnosable condition for a condition that matches a description in the DSM-5 whereby counseling is deemed “medically necessary” to use insurance (i.e. not everything you want to seek counseling for is necessarily covered). And, again, this diagnosis must be reported to your insurance company and becomes part of your record.
- Optimal care sometimes requires more sessions than allowed by insurance companies. Occasionally only a certain number of sessions are covered, regardless of your actual need.
Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost
Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises
