Fees & Policies

Ascent Therapy Service is an out of network provider only. While we don’t bill insurance directly, we are happy to provide you a “super bill” (eg. a statement of services) that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. We are happy to help you confirm your out of network benefits with your insurance company. In many cases, your insurance will reimburse you for a significant portion of the cost of each session. 

Our practice doesn’t accept insurance (in-network) for a variety of reasons. 

·        Insurance requires proof of medical necessity. Therapists who contract with insurance are required to diagnose you with a mental health disorder. Many people who seek therapy need help with issues that aren’t specifically mental disorders, such as stress management, grief, family relationships, past trauma just to name a few.  Also, most insurances do not cover couples counseling.    

·        Your privacy gets compromised. Insurance requires therapists to disclosure your personal information for payments and authorizations. This involves evaluation of your therapy by a third party insurance representative.  By not taking insurance, we don’t have to share your information with anyone, unless you give express permission.

·        Insurance looks out for their needs, not yours. Some insurances require prior authorizations, which can delay the start of the therapy.  Additionally, many insurances set a limit on how many therapy sessions you can have, regardless of your needs.  And.. if you change insurance policies (i.e. job change), the new plan may require you start over with a new therapist.

·        Mental Health treatment and diagnosis become part of your insurance health record. When you use insurance, all of your therapy documentation is recorded, which could negatively affect your employment prospects (eg. security clearances, FBI, law enforcement, etc.). If maintaining confidentiality and minimizing the paper trail is important to you, using insurance might not meet your privacy expectations.

·        Paying privately may be more cost effective than insurance. Many insurance plans have a required deductible that you must meet before you receive any insurance benefit. it will pay any amount towards your therapy. With a high deductible, for example $5,000, you could pay out of pocket for 20 or 30 sessions each year before insurance pays a penny.

·        Therapists who accept insurance have long waitlists. They often have very fully caseloads, on top of the extra hours spent on insurance paperwork. Our private pay model allows our therapists the time and energy to provide you with the quality treatment you deserve.

 Put simply, insurance companies are businesses, and their priority is profit.  At Ascent Therapy Services, our priority is you, and helping you succeed in your journey to mental wellness.