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Paying
for therapy is part of making a commitment to it. You can pay
privately or use your health insurance. There are pros and cons to
doing either. Self-pay comes out of your pocket, at least initially,
and if you seek reimbursement from insurance it can take time and
paperwork. On the other hand, you can often deduct it as a medical
expense on your taxes. In addition self-pay gives you more freedom and
privacy than going through your insurance. Some clients prefer to pay
out of pocket because they would prefer to avoid using insurance to
cover mental health care, to maintain their privacy, or because they are
not able to find someone on their provider panel that feels like a
"good fit."
Although insurance plans will sometimes cover a large portion of your
initial sessions, there is a price tag that comes with it. For
insurance to pay, therapy needs to be considered "medically necessary,"
meaning you will need to be given a diagnosis of a medical condition.
This can make it very difficult to obtain life or long-term disability
insurances. Using insurance invites a third party into your therapy,
often in the form of a case manager who wants to know particular details
about you and your treatment. They may and often do call your
therapist for updates, and many patients find this intrusive and
upsetting. Lastly, even after you have given up privacy and obtained a
medical diagnosis, the insurance company may decide they will not pay
for your treatment any more, whether you are finished or not.
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