Fees & Insurance

The first step towards improving your life is to ask for help.

 
 

Payment Policy

I appreciate payment at the time services are rendered. We accept the following forms of payment for services:

  • Zelle

  • Credit Card

  • Debit Card

  • HSA

  • FSA

Insurance Payments

I participate in the following insurance plans:

  • Aetna

  • Anthem/Blue Cross

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

  • ILWU/PMA Coastwise

  • Medicare (some plans)

  • United Healthcare

  • Oscar Health

  • Oxford

Your copay is due at the time services are rendered. If you prefer to pay monthly, payment is due at your first session for each month.

Out of Network PPO Plans

I accept some out of network PPO plans. Contact me for more information. Whenever possible I submit the claims directly to your insurance company, saving you the hassle of doing it yourself.

Private Payment puts you securely in charge

There are many benefits to using private pay for psychotherapy instead of insurance. I strongly recommend our clients to use private pay rather than insurance for the following reasons.

The services you need, not just what your insurance will pay for!

I frequently encounter situations when a specific treatment is best for a patient, however, insurance will not cover the treatment and I am forced to provide a less preferred treatment. For example, many insurance plans only cover 45-minute sessions, when 60 or 90 minute session would be more beneficial. Many insurance plans will cover individual sessions and not couples or families counseling, which can limit your treatment greatly. Many insurance companies also limit the number of sessions they allow regardless of your need. When you choose private pay, we have greater flexibility and more options to meet your individual needs. You are in charge of your healthcare treatment, not your insurance company!

Greater Confidentiality: Your diagnosis is protected

When submitting claims for insurance reimbursement for the services we provide to you, I am required to provide a diagnosis related to your treatment. Unfortunately, it's possible that your diagnosis can follow you throughout your life and may hinder future career opportunities or create legal difficulties for you. Each time a claim is submitted, your diagnosis must be included and your diagnosis will be on record, even if your insurance company denies reimbursement!

Furthermore, your insurance company has the right to conduct a Services Utilization Review to "determine" if you are benefitting from treatment. If they determine you are not benefitting from treatment, they can stop paying for your treatment. The decision is based upon their criteria, whatever that may be. You are not given a voice in the process because they don't ask your opinion.

Once they have your private health information in their records, it cannot be undone. When you use private pay instead of insurance, no communication is required with your insurance company, no claims are filed and, therefore, no records are reported to your insurance.