Why i am no longer in-network
The most important reason I chose to get off of insurance panels is to preserve the quality care and attention that I want for my clients. I’ve done insurance work. Unfortunately, this did nothing but take away valuable time when my clients need my attention on them. You deserve a therapist who is never overextended due to the extensive amount of time required to work with insurance companies. You deserve a therapist who can spend as much time working on your care outside of your sessions as you do together in session. This extra time and attention devoted to treatment planning and preparing between sessions is probably the biggest difference between private pay therapy and in-network covered therapy.
My clients often have been to therapy before, and while we are getting used to each other, they’re surprised when they realize I’ve done work between our sessions, or consulted about their care with a specialist, or remember tiny details from several sessions ago that they don’t have to repeat.
I notice the difference too. When I was in-network, much of my time was spent proving that my clients needed mental health care rather than time spent working towards their care. I also am no longer overbooked. Most insurance companies’ contracts don’t allow in network providers to “not accept new clients” when their caseloads are full. This was ultimately a deal breaker for me. I just wasn’t willing to onboard people I didn’t have enough time to help and at the same time break commitments to established clients. Now, my clients have reasonable access to me between sessions as needed, and enjoy that I can be more flexible with my schedule than “I can see you in three weeks”, because that’s not good mental health care in my book. Everyone deserves better.
Other benefits of private pay therapy:
You can often still use your insurance! Out of network benefits are often good enough to help people get adequate access to quality mental health care.
No unnecessary labels. You don’t need to carry a diagnosis to receive treatment. Unless you find a diagnostic label beneficial, and want to explore that, let’s just get to work on helping you feel better! If your goals change, we don’t need to reassess symptoms like a medical doctor would do. Let’s just transition to working on that new goal.
Self-determination. You get to choose how often you come, for how many sessions, and what treatment you want. Insurance has no input and can place no limitations on what you can or cannot talk about in therapy.
Improved privacy and confidentiality. No more prying eyes of insurance companies requesting your treatment plans or therapy notes!