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Superbills |
A superbill is a detailed receipt you can submit to your insurance provider to seek reimbursement. You pay your therapist directly and are reimbursed a portion by your insurance later
Do you accept my insurance?
Short answer: no. Long answer: No, but I can provide you with a superbill to submit to your insurance and you may get reimbursed for some or all of what you have paid.
If we work together, you pay me directly for therapy services. Your credit card on file is charged on the day of your scheduled session. That makes me an “out of network provider” meaning I am not contracted with your insurance and reimbursement is not guaranteed unless specifically outlined in your policy. If you are hoping to be reimbursed for therapy services, I encourage you to call your insurance directly to inquire about your out of network coverage before beginning services.
I offer a free service to clients via SuperBill which automatically contacts your insurance, submits your superbills, and tracks your out-of-network claims for you.
What questions should I ask my insurance?
Call the number on the back of your health insurance card and ask for “member services." Ask these questions to verify out-of-network coverage:
- 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 code 90834 (for individual services) or CPT code 90847 (for couple's services)?
- Does my insurance plan cover Z codes for couples therapy?
- What is my co-payment?
- Do I need prior authorization?
- Do I need approval from my primary care provider?
What can you expect after submitting a superbill?
It can typically take your health insurance 2-4+ weeks to process your superbill. They will either pay the full amount of services minus your copay, or they will put this amount towards your deductible. If your superbill is denied, call your insurance and request information about the denial.
Why don't you accept insurance?
Insurance companies are notoriously difficult to work with and do not provide psychotherapists a living wage. Insurance companies often pay therapists around 50% less than the market rate in their area. I do deeply care about making therapy accessible and deeply care about paying rent and being able to enjoy my life. I do reserve 25% or more of my weekly sessions as sliding scale spots in an imperfect attempt at balancing these interests. Wondering more about the costs of therapy services? I like this blog and this blog on the topic. You can also use this tool to see what psychotherapy (CPT code 90834) costs on average in your area.
Tool to Estimate Reimbursements from Insurance:
Fees
Individual Therapy - $180 per 50 minute weekly session
Partners, Families, Groups - $200 per 50 minute weekly session ***Individual sessions are provided during a regular weekly appointment. I do not provide every-other-week or as-needed therapy sessions for new clients. If you are searching for sliding-scale therapists please see:
Servicing the East Bay and San Francisco:
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Stephanie Bain (she/her/hers)
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, AMFT #126452 stephaniebaintherapy@gmail.com | 1-510-545-9329 445 Bellevue Ave, #6B, Oakland, 94610 Supervised by Anna Howland, LMFT 99026 Employed by Center for Mindful Psychotherapy |
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