Self-Pay (Out-of-Pocket):
- With self-pay, you pay directly for the therapy sessions at the time of service. This gives you complete privacy and control over your treatment.
- One of the main advantages of self-pay is that you don’t have to worry about insurance restrictions, such as limitations on the number of sessions or the need for a diagnosis to be covered.
- It also means you don’t have to share personal or sensitive information with your insurance provider.
- The downside is that this option can be more expensive per session since there’s no insurance coverage to help offset costs.
Insurance:
- If you choose to use your insurance for counseling sessions, the insurance company will cover a portion of your therapy costs, and you’ll be responsible for co-pays, deductibles, or coinsurance based on your plan.
- Insurance can help reduce the out-of-pocket cost per session, making therapy more affordable for many people.
- However, there are some things to consider. Insurance may require a mental health diagnosis for coverage, and there may be restrictions on how many sessions are allowed or which types of therapy are covered.
- Some clients prefer using insurance because of the financial support it offers, but it does mean that your therapist may need to share certain information with your insurance provider for billing purposes.