Benefits of Paying privately for therapy

Paying privately for therapy allows your sessions and any related charting to remain entirely private. When you use insurance your therapy records become part of your medical history. This in turn can be accessed by your insurance company and potentially future employers or other entities. 

Insurance plans typically have a limited network of approved providers which restricts your options when selecting a therapist. Private-pay allows you the freedom to choose a therapist based on compatibility, expertise, and personal preferences.

Private pay therapists are under no obligation to diagnose. Many individuals prefer not to carry a diagnostic label as this may lead to higher insurance premiums or limit future employment opportunities. Insurance companies, on the other hand, require a formal diagnosis on file. Without a formal diagnosis, therapists will not be compensated and this can pressure them to identify a diagnosis even if criteria is not formally met. 

With private-pay therapy, you have more control over your treatment plan, session frequency and duration. Insurance companies will often mandate specific treatment plans based on someone’s diagnosis, limit how many sessions may be approved, or suddenly drop coverage mid-treatment. By paying privately, you eliminate any third party input on how you use your therapy space. 

Therapists working with insurance companies are typically compensated at lower rates, which can lead to a higher volume of clients and overworked therapists . By utilizing a private pay model, these more experienced and specialized therapists are able to be their best selves and cater treatment to their clients with the energy and attention that you deserve.

Dealing with lengthy call times, high deductibles, denied claims, clawbacks, and impersonal third party involvement can be time-consuming and unexpectedly expensive. Private pay arrangements eliminate these risks. No surprises- no dropped coverage or owing unexpected expenses.