The insurance I accept
I’m an in-network provider for Aetna, Anthem, Bright Health, Cigna, Kaiser Permanente, TriWest, and United Healthcare. Please let me know if you’d like to use your insurance benefits and I’ll explain the process I use. Working through your insurance company definitely reduces your cost of counseling. At the same time, there are a few things I feel obligated to let you know because they may affect your decision.
First, in order to get paid by an insurance company I’m required to give you a mental health diagnosis that becomes part of your medical record; to attest that you have a “disorder.” Some people find that having a label for their challenges can make the problems more acceptable and less scary. Other people don’t like the idea of being assigned a diagnosis either because they’re worried about a stigma that might be attached, or they’re worried about how it will affect future professional opportunities, or they just don’t like thinking of themselves as “broken.”
Second, to get paid by an insurance company I have to share confidential information about our work together. Some people are very comfortable with me sharing that information. Others are concerned about how that information is stored, who sees it, and how it might be shared.
Of course, the decision is totally up to you, and I’m happy to support you either way!
Another option: paying with an HSA or FSA
Another option is to pay me with a credit/debit card linked to a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA), which may help you save money because those accounts are funded with pre-tax dollars deducted from your paychecks. If you don’t have an HSA or FSA (or you’re not sure if you do), you may want to talk with your accountant and/or employer about signing up for one during your next benefits open enrollment period.