Paying For Therapy

Sycamore Counseling Services chooses to be a private-pay clinic because we believe this allows us to offer a higher standard of care to our clients. If you want to have more control over your therapy and are seeking the highest level of care, privacy and confidentiality, private pay has serious advantages over alternative methods of paying for therapy. 

Insurance companies require mental health professionals to give a clinical diagnosis to all clients to receive reimbursement. This practice can be unethical when it results in clients being given a diagnosis for which they do not meet the full criteria, but unfortunately this happens frequently at clinics where therapy is accepted. Additionally, insurance companies dictate the type of care that a therapist can provide, rather than allowing a therapist to determine which evidence-based treatment is best for a client on a case-by-case basis. Insurance companies are also built on the medical model which means that coverage can be limited by the carrier if the decision-makers--those who are not even directly involved in a client's treatment--decide that treatment is not necessary and care may also be interrupted when a client changes providers. Finally, there are possible implications of a diagnosis being included in a medical record and we feel it is important for clients to be fully informed about these implications so that each person can make the choice that is best for them and their unique needs. When a diagnosis becomes part of a medical record, these diagnoses will remain a permanent part of your medical record and it is possible that these diagnoses can impact your ability to receive affordable life insurance, security clearance in certain government and military positions, approval for adoption applications and other related known and unknown consequences. 

If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA), you can use these pre-tax dollars to pay for therapy. The services provided at Sycamore Counseling Services qualify as a medical/health expense. In the event that your FSA/HSA administrator requires an itemized receipt, we will provide this for you upon request. 

Upon request, we will provide a monthly receipt, called a superbill, for you to submit to your insurance company. If you have out-of-network (OON) benefits, it is possible that you will receive partial reimbursement for your therapy sessions, usually at a slightly lower percentage than what you would receive in-network. We advise that you check with your insurance company ahead of time to inquire about your eligibility for OON benefits and to make sure you understand your responsibility to first meet a deductible. We also  encourage clients to consider how providing information to your insurance company may effect confidentiality. 

At Sycamore, we want to give back to those who commit their lives to serving others and keeping our communities safe. If you are a military member, veteran, first responder, or in full-time ministry, we offer a discounted session rate for all therapy services. Additionally, we reserve a limited number of reduced fee sessions to assist clients in need. In the event that these rates are not affordable for an individual or we do not have current reduced fee spots available, we will do our best to refer you to other low-cost services in our area. 

 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.  area.