Fees

We believe there is a value in choosing a therapist based on factors beyond insurance plan coverage. Our referrals do not come from insurance companies. Individuals and families choose Gooden Counseling based on our reputation of providing quality services that are results oriented.

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Our fees vary depending on what type of service you are needing. We strive to price our services fairly and competitively with other practices in the area.  

 

Payment is required at the time of service and, if the client is a minor, it is the responsibility of the parent who brings the child to the office for treatment. Payment is accepted by cash, health savings account, flex savings account, and most major credit cards. Your card will saved securely using a HIPAA-compliant service.

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Insurance

We are currently a private pay and out of network provider for most insurance companies, who will generally reimburse you for 60-80 % of my fee. We are able to provide you with a receipt (Superbill) at the end of each session at your request.  You are able to file it with your insurance directly. Gooden Counseling assumes no responsibility regarding out of network coverage.  We encourage you to contact your insurance provider and inquire about mental/behavioral health benefits.

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No Surprises Act & Good Faith Estimate Notice

 

• The “No Surprises Act” requires providers to inform their uninsured and private pay patients that they have a right to a “Good Faith Estimate” to help them estimate the expected charges they may be billed for services.

• You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining the cost of therapy services.

• 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 expected charges for medical items and services.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency health care services, including medical tests, prescription medications, hospital fees, and psychotherapy services.

• Make sure your therapist gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your appointment. You may also ask your therapist for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an appointment.

• 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 or call (800) 985-3059.

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Using Insurance for Therapy - Pros & Cons

 

Pros of using insurance

• Depending on your plan, private insurance will either pick up a portion of the charge for psychotherapy, the entire amount, or will at least apply the amount towards a deductible you currently have. For a lot of people, this makes sense as they pay a good deal of money for having insurance and want to use it.

• Allows you access to mental health services that you may not otherwise be able to afford.
   

Cons of using insurance

• In order for insurance to pay, you must be given a mental health diagnosis. If you don’t meet criteria for one, insurance doesn’t pay. Yet you could still be in pain, need support or want to do some work that increases the quality of your life and is proactive.

• Since the insurance company pays, they have a right to audit clinical records on you and have access to all of your information. They do this to ensure that a therapist is not committing insurance fraud, providing appropriate services to the given diagnosis and for quality assurance. However, what they do with that information is unknown, and a therapist has no control over how they use it once it is in their hands.

• They can at any point, after review of treatment, decide they won’t pay, even if the therapist disagrees.

• There is some level of concern that mental health diagnoses can be used to deny life insurance, jobs or viewed as pre-existing conditions allowing a future insurer to deny coverage.
   

Pros of private pay

• Information you reveal in session is confidential with the exception of court subpoena, reporting abuse, and imminent risk of harm to self or others. Your insurer would have no right to access your information if they are not paying the bill.

• You can benefit from psychotherapy even if no mental health condition is present. You can be proactive and use therapy to improve your quality of life.

• No external force dictates when therapy is done or how long it should last. You and your therapist will make that decision together.

• If you have a high deductible plan that you rarely meet, you are essentially paying out of pocket while allowing your insurer the right to have access to your information. Considering the low reimbursement rates for therapy in general, an otherwise healthy person may not meet their deductible solely seeing a therapist.
   

Cons of private pay

• Out of pocket costs can be higher and limit how much, if any, therapy you might be able to afford.

• Those who pay out of pocket but are stretching to do so often want to space sessions out to once every two weeks or once a month. That’s a reasonable arrangement once therapy is well underway, but initially it’s hard to gain any momentum in the work (or a therapist to really get to know you well enough) if you don’t meet weekly for the first 6 weeks.

 

In the end, it's really a balance of privacy and cost.