Clinical Psychologist
Administrative Stuff
Fees
My fee for therapy is $200 for a 55 minute session. If you have medical insurance it may pay part or all of the cost of therapy. Once we figure out what insurance will pay for, I will have you pay me for your portion of the cost, typically by check at the beginning of the session.
Insurance
I am a "preferred provider" with Premera Blue Cross and with Aetna. Because of that, I am also a preferred provider with most out-of-state Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, and with plans through Lifewise.
I am also happy to work with other insurance companies as an out-of-network provider. Many plans do have coverage for an out-of-network provider, although there is sometimes a higher copayment than for an in-network provider.
If your insurance plan does cover therapy with me, your out-of-pocket cost for seeing me will be determined by the amount of your copayment, and by your annual deductible. For some plans, the annual deductible doesn't apply to mental health. To find out what therapy is likely to cost under your plan, simply call your plan or check your benefits online. You will want to check the coverage for "outpatient mental health." The plan should be able to tell you what your copayment is likely to be for a therapy session, and whether your deductible applies for outpatient therapy.
I am also happy to check your benefits for you, and I typically do check the benefits after our first session.
When there is insurance coverage, I typically bill the insurance company, and have the client pay whatever portion of the bill the insurance does not cover. If for some reason the insurance company does not pay in the way they had described on the phone, I sometimes have to collect additional charges from the client later.
Microsoft Insurance
With Premera insurance through Microsoft, the deductible does apply to mental health. Microsoft does provide some funds in an account that can be used toward the deductible. The employee benefits office can give you more information about this.
Telehealth
I prefer to do therapy in person, but it is good to have the option of doing video sessions in special circumstances, such as a snowstorm or a car in the shop. I use a HIPAA compliant video platform called Doxy.me. Here is my link on that platform, which you can paste into your browser: