Insurance & payment
Paying directly, and what that actually buys.
Private pay therapy with a sliding scale available. The route for every Vermont client, and a deliberate choice for some New York ones.
Prefer to call or text? 631-371-4888
- Vermont
- Private pay is the only route, since in network plans are New York plans.
- New York
- A choice, alongside Aetna, Northwell Direct, UnitedHealthcare and Optum.
- Sliding scale
- Available. Raise it at the consult.
- Records
- No claim filed, and no diagnosis required for billing.
What to know
Before your first session.
Vermont clients are private pay, because the plans this practice is in network with are New York plans. In New York, private pay is a choice, and some people make it on purpose rather than because they have to.
The reasons are worth stating plainly. Using insurance for mental health care requires a diagnosis to be recorded and submitted, it creates a claim record, and the insurer can in principle review what is medically necessary. Private pay avoids all of that. Nothing is filed, no diagnosis is required for billing purposes, and the length of the work is decided between us rather than negotiated with a third party.
The obvious drawback is cost, which is why a sliding scale exists. If the standard fee is not workable, raise it in the free consult. That conversation is routine and it is a great deal better than quietly deciding you cannot afford help.
Common questions
About cover and cost.
- Why would I pay privately if I have insurance?
- Mainly privacy and control. Insurance requires a recorded diagnosis and creates a claim record, and coverage decisions can shape the length of care. Private pay removes all three considerations, which matters more to some people than to others.
- How does the sliding scale work?
- It is a reduced fee agreed between us based on your circumstances. There is no form to complete, and asking about it does not affect how you are treated as a client.
- Can I claim reimbursement myself?
- Some out of network plans reimburse part of a private pay session against a receipt. Whether yours does is worth checking with your insurer, since it can change the real cost considerably.
Cost is a fair thing to ask about first.
Fifteen minutes, free, and bringing up money in it is completely normal rather than awkward.
Prefer to call or text? 631-371-4888
Insurance accepted for select New York plans: Aetna, Northwell Direct, UnitedHealthcare and Optum. Private pay and sliding scale available everywhere, including Vermont.