As a thriving psychology practice that does not participate in private or government health insurance plans, we are often asked why patients elect to see one of our psychologists on a self-pay fee system despite having insurance coverage. Here are the top three reasons why it can be beneficial to establish with an out-of-network psychologist:
No 3rd Party Dictating Care:
- We are able to develop individualized treatment plans without under-qualified managed care employees dictating the type of care we are able to provide. We are able to provide scientifically supported therapies without arbitrary parameters set by insurance companies.
- We are able to schedule appointments at the frequency indicated by our clinical judgment and standard of care based on the most up-to-date research. Unfortunately, insurance companies generally determine how often and how many times mental health professionals are able to see patients. We are able to decide with our patients how often they come in for appointments.
Spend More Face-To-Face Time with Patients:
- We are able to spend the majority of our time face-to-face with patients as opposed to completing and submitting insurance paperwork. The insurance billing process requires substantial time and resources. We prefer to bill for actual therapy and assessment hours, not for paperwork hours.
Freedom of Choice:
- The psychologist-patient relationship is a vital component of effective emotional/behavioral treatment. Although several mental health providers are listed on most insurance plan directories, it is often difficult to find a psychologist who is a “good fit” and who is truly qualified to treat the specific needs of a given patient. Our psychologists are highly trained in specific areas of mental and behavioral health. We pride ourselves on appropriate and effective patient-psychologist matching, which has most often resulted in happy patients and very positive outcomes.
Steffanie Sperry, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
