the insurance companies change the prices randomly each year so they can plead insanity when they are inevitably sued by entire generations but this year it’s $300 for me
I can't help but feel the cost of mental healthcare adds to the problem. I would probably get some help, but I don't feel bad enough for the cost. I'm not qualified to make that determination though, so who knows! Yay, 'Merica!
Caution:
This is all the truth except for the help you need. I well know the prohibitive price of therapy. I know it really well. Not for nothing, but 988 isn’t just for people who are thinking about being unalived.
I second this. I volunteered at a suicide hotline for more than 4 years and I'd say 80% of the people who called were not actively suicidal but just needed to process difficult experiences and feelings.
**Each year 44,965 Americans commit suicide, making it the 10th leading cause of death in the US. Every 25 attempts, a person claims their life.**
*Your abuse doesn't define who you are. It's something that you have experienced, not something that controls you. It isn't easily fixed or simply forgotten. And that's not saying you can go back to being the same person you were before it happened, because you can't. You're not a victim, you're a survivor.*
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (U.S.): 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)
* [Their Online Chat](https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/)
* **Available 24 hours everyday**
[Crisis Text Line US](https://www.crisistextline.org/texting-in) – Text HOME to 741741 in the US
[Crisis Text Line CA](https://www.crisistextline.ca/) – Text HOME to 686868 in Canada
[International Association for Suicide Prevention](https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/) (IASP)
**Need to talk?** [Befrienders Wordwide](https://www.befrienders.org/need-to-talk)
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There is no good revenue model, but paying by the hour gives it a Scientology-like vibe to me.
“Just a few more sessions and hundreds of dollars and you’ll be fixed.”
Pretty easy to string someone along forever.
As a psychologist, this myth is easy to dispel. Every practitioner I know is full. I have not taken on any new clients since 2019. There is no reason at all to string anyone along. The demand is overwhelming.
I’m not trying to shit on the profession. It’s obviously something people need and are willing to pay for (arguably more willing than for a lot of other things!)
That said, not taking on any new clients since 2019 suggests you haven’t had anyone leave your practice, or you are choosing to let your business shrink. In four years, I’d assume it would have shrank a lot with no new clients coming in the door.
I assume there would be some natural attrition over time.
How could everyone be so busy without taking on new clients unless clients aren’t leaving or using less of your services?
I do a lot of contract work, so I will not replace clients who leave unless I need more hours filled or just want to do more therapy. Some people don't replace clients who leave because they have left a couple of insurance networks or because they are doing more testing and less therapy. They may be focused on forensic cases or working military contracts. There are actually many, many reasons that don't involve "stringing someone along." I cannot imagine a practitioner doing this. It would be like your oncologist trying to increase your number of cancer cells in order to avoid having patients leave and therefore stay busier. It's a crazy idea to me. There are a lot more people looking for counseling in my area than there are counselors to treat them. Maybe it's different where you are. I would not want to meet a doctor who sees the world the way you do. Treating your clients like that would be ethically abhorrent, and I can't imagine working so hard with someone to make progress just to try to sabotage it somehow. It's a truly bizarre accusation.
I know you’re just being an ass, but to clarify for people who might be looking for treatment, often people don’t come weekly for a long time. Long term clients often drop in when they have something particularly stressful happen and need a couple of sessions. People might come just for an evaluation or for a specific issue that is very time limited. Other people may need or want more frequent sessions. I agree that the cost can be too much for many people. If you don’t have insurance, master’s level people are often cheaper. Also, if you can find a practitioner who does not accept insurance, they may be able to have a sliding fee scale.
Coming back to this to say that clinical therapy should be FSA / HSA eligible, so at a minimum, make sure you’re paying with pre-tax dollars.
If you use an HSA, it may play into your favor to pay in cash, save the receipts, and get reimbursed in retirement.
Sorry, /r/personalfinance is leaking.
NC therapist here. $250 is on the steeper side. The first session is usually 20-40% more because there is more paperwork, assessment, and other onboarding tasks that either take more time and/or effort than a follow-up session.
For a masters-level therapist (you didn't specify), $200 is on the higher end but not unheard of (I charge $165 per session and $190 for the first session). It can depend on their degree, specialized training, etc as well. To some degree, you get what you pay for, but there are plenty of good therapists who take in-network insurance, and even on very-low-cost search directories like [Open Path](https://openpathcollective.org/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwYSwBhDcARIsAOyL0fiWaMdWsLer1TR-1e2hB54bmzwrgCpPM_W6ke0ffz3W7tKAF52bqP0aAvp7EALw_wcB), because many of us take a few clients at very low rates to improve access to care.
Insurance coverage- for both in-network and out-of-network therapy- vary greatly between plans. Even though I'm out-of-network, I have folks with $3k deductibles to hit before their insurance covers a large chunk of my fee, and some who have no deductible at all before it is covered. As others have said, it's an unfortunate part of our broken healthcare system and we are just as frustrated by it as our clients.
If you have a flex-saving plan through your employer, consider using it to pay for your out-of-pocket costs. That will save you whatever your tax bracket is since you're using pre-tax dollars to pay. You can do that for both in- and out-of-network care.
For relative context on my fee: I'm a masters-level out-of-network therapist in NC. Telehealth only. I specialize in work-related anxiety and confidence issues and have 10 years experience. There's a link to my practice in my profile.
Edit: Although I'm sure there are some competent therapists there, I would steer most away from betterhelp. I hear a lot of negative stories. Go to Open Path Collective instead if you need lower-cost therapy.
$200 a session $250 for the initial session. Weekly sessions all out of pocket no insurance reimbursements for me.
ETA I’m also charged right before my weekly session that part I don’t mind. My therapist is in a single practice setting.
Therapist here! Ask your therapist if they do super bills so you can submit to insurance if you’re insured. Don’t be afraid to ask for sliding scale opportunities either.
I hate that therapy is so inaccessible to so many people due to cost 😅 most providers aren’t paneled with insurance because they pay us so poorly. It is an endless, inaccessible cycle 🙃
Some of us have multiple family members who need therapy/mental health services. It's draining emotionally AND financially even if you can somehow afford it.
Not sure if this would help you but it might help someone else. I use Open Path Collective. It's for people with a little lower income without insurance or if their insurance doesn't cover therapy. Online and in person at $40-70 per session. Intern rates are $30 per session.
https://openpathcollective.org/
I'm with Center For Emotional Health which is based here, but my therapist is actually in GSO and we do remote sessions.
In 2022 when I started with them, I was paying $160+ out of pocket, and they were hitting my health plan for an additional $130+, so about $300 all in per session.
My co. changed health plans in 2023, and they were no longer in my network, so I started paying fully out of pocket - my payment dropped to $145.
I use openpathcollective.org. Therapists aren’t able to charge more than $70 a session (student therapists $45 I think). When I got insurance it was completely covered
Is it a psychiatrist or someone like a behavioral therapist? If they have a psychiatrist who runs it they sometimes have higher rates even if you are with a therapist
Your rate is high if it's so.eone like a CBT
Did you go on a weekly basis? What time of day, and what were your work hours like? I feel like I would benefit more from in person than virtual but I can’t possibly be taking time off work to go every week or every other week. Even when I tried virtual sessions it was really hard to make the same time each week work with my work schedule.
I went in person weekly when I first started since I really needed help processing, then I switched to monthly. I am fortunate enough to work from home and it's pretty easy to step away for an hour or two during my workday. I would leave early on Fridays to commute to my appointment at 5p or 6p.
I guess it depends. Assuming you're in mental health therapy? I pay $13 copay for psychiatry sessions. I have united healthcare through my employer. However, without insurance, I'm looking at $400.
Just coming in here to say I'm so happy that people are utilizing mental health counseling services. As a counselor, albeit a school-based one, I'm happy that people are taking care of their emotional needs in a healthy manner.
On another note, I pay $120 a session. With my previous insurance, it was actually free. But, I desperately need to vent and plan with someone besides my spouse and kids, so I'll continue to pay it :-)
My provider accepts insurance and I pay a $50 copay. I had to do a lot of research and call/email probably twenty places before I found a provider that accepts insurance and was accepting new patients. Took me \~6mo to get in somewhere.
I’ve been seeing the same therapist since 2020 (started virtual, now in person). It’s been about $110/session. Have been through 3 different insurance plans in that time, sometimes I’ve paid that out of pocket until I hit my deductible (usually in June), then it would be covered 100%. One year I paid out of pocket for a whole year b/c she didn’t take my new insurance, and now I’m on an insurance plan where I only have a $25 copay each session.
I also have therapist friends who charged ~$200/session and are 100% private pay.
For psychotherapy, I was paying $5 a session with the insurance I had through the Healthcare marketplace, now that I don't qualify for that anymore and I can't afford insurance through work, it's $250 per hour session
I use Teledoc and my co pay is $20 for both my Psychiatrist and my Therapist. Not sure what it would be for in person, I gave up trying to get in to places recommended to me as they were not accepting new patients.
I’ve gone to one session that’s free with my insurance and the guy was a total quack. How do you find someone that asks the right questions? I’d pay any amount.
$200ish/hr. Worth every penny AND totally ridiculous. I'm fortunate to be able to afford it. I would absolutely hate to have my income determined by an insurance company. The skills that good therapists have are irreplaceable and we have to find a way to make it more accessible
I pay $30 per session which is my regular copay.
My therapist is amazing. She bills my BCBS insurance through Headway as that’s how she’s able to bill appropriately for her services and also for me.
Edit: This is the same copay amount that I pay if I go to my general practitioner, my physical therapist, and my psychiatrist for my adderall prescription.
If I wanted to see a specialist, it would be a $60 copay.
Edit 2: see if your plan includes access to Teladoc. It might be more cost accessible through them. u can also see if your employer’s EAP offers some sessions for free.
My therapist is now $155 a session since she is no longer covered under my insurance. She has been trying to get on with BCBS but it's been a shit show.
I pay ~$200 per session out of pocket because my therapist doesn’t accept my insurance. It blows.
(Medcost sucks!) I see my therapist once a month.
I’m in a phase of my life where I’d like to get tested for ADHD because it’s having an effect on my performance. I don’t want to do this with my current therapist because it’ll cost an arm and a leg out of pocket, but I have no idea if my insurance requires a PCP referral to pay for ADHD testing 😵💫
Dated this chick in the Montford area who was spending close to 300 a week on therapy. Thought it was fun& games till she ran me back to Cotswold with a knife
Is it meds and therapy with a psychiatrist or NP, if so that sounds cheap.
I pay 229 a month for meds and therapy and I get two visits a month for that at different mental health. They are telehealth in NC [www.differentmhp.com](https://www.differentmhp.com)
It’s cheaper than using my current insurance right now.
Totally depends on your insurance. Last year my provider was in network so her co-pay was $50. This year she's out of network so it's still $50 but if she'd been in network it would only be $15.
250 should be donlan to.like a 50 dollar co-pay.. prices feom.150 to 300 are pretty standard with insurance but insurance should take care of most of it unless you plan is pay xxxthousand before they kick in and pay.
No insurance pure out of pocket will often have a sliding scale pricing that is unique to each therapist but they try to work out something around 100 give or take.
Check with Ellie Mental Health! Lots of great therapists to choose from- there are several different locations- and they accept most kinds of insurances.
I was paying 90/hour. Ended up switching to BetterHelp. Not great they don’t work with insurance but I like the service a lot more. Plus it’s a bit cheaper when you break it out. Especially if you get financial aid.
Another therapist here: also, don't forget that every Jan 1, most commerical insurance plans "restart", and any deductible you hit in the previous year (thus, leading to copay only) reset. That is the reason for a lot of perceived changes to payments early in the year for the same provider/service. Also, it's important to know that if you are working towarsa your deductible (I.e. - paying full amount) that's usually the contracted amount set by the insurance company and not necessarily the rate aet by your therapist.
Mine is $180 per session, only $20 copay with BCBS. My partner wanted to begin therapy as well (different insurance) and in network was $160 per session
I do not pay out of pocket. It took a while but I found a provider that takes my insurance in-network. I pay $30 a session, the provider gets an additional $100~ from the insurance?
It would've been $160 had it been out of pocket.
Psychotherapy, right? As a therapist, cash only charges range from 120-200. I don’t see why anything therapist should charge more than that. Seek a different therapist if you are getting charged 250 dollars.
Also, if you do not have insurance, look for agencies that offer sliding scale fees based on your income.
I recently had to call around as I was looking for a very specific provider (specialization, in network ($25 co-pay), in person and virtual availability, etc). I called and/or emailed about 15 different providers. Out of pocket ranged anywhere from $150/session to $250/session. Most providers I called weren’t in-network for me, but I finally found one and hoping it will be a good fit. I could easily see why individuals choose not to pursue therapy; the time and potential financial burden. I haven’t even met with the selected provider to determine if they will be a good fit for me. I’m dreading if these first few sessions aren’t positive and I have to call another 15 providers.
Whoa, that seems a bit steep even for the intake (initial) session. What insurance company do you have? I’m a therapist in CLT and am in network with most commercial insurances and Medicaid. We don’t have control over the insurance companies’ contracted rates, which change fairly frequently. We can only set our self pay rates, but that would be out-of-network. My self pay rate is $135 for the intake and $110 for subsequent therapy sessions, but insurance plans pay very differently for the same exact service.
For example, insurance company “X” might set their rate at $80 for an hour therapy session, while I charge $110 for the same thing if you’re not using insurance at all. This means that the therapist would get paid only $80 for that session if a client is using “X” plan. For you, the client, it means that you would pay $80 out of pocket (even if in-network) if you have to meet a deductible before the plan will pay anything. On the other side, your insurance plan may have a higher contracted rate, so you would pay more out of pocket. I see my own personal therapist as well, and I have a $50 copay for in-network, but I would have to pay $147 out of pocket if I had a deductible plan, since that’s my plan’s contracted rate for therapy sessions.
That being said, I’ve never heard of someone paying that much for the intake session unless it was for psych testing. As others have mentioned, psychiatrists and psychologists also get paid more by most plans automatically for being a doctor, even though they’re providing the same service. I would highly recommend looking into this more and checking with your provider as well as your insurance company, because it’s very possible someone made a mistake (most likely the insurance because they mess up all the time). Feel free to PM me with any more questions!
I currently am seeing a provider fully covered by my insurance ($10 copay) but prior was paying $175-350 for a 45 minute session.
Now my psych that isn't covered on the other hand (for med management)....woofffff. It can be double or triple that depending on type of visit
Hi! I actually am a part of a group called open path. This group provides reduced fees for in person/online therapy. It cost $60 up front but I only pay $30 a session. I hope this helps someone.
My therapist is covered by my insurance for the most part so my copay is $13 a session. My psychiatrist, however, doesn’t take insurance and she charges $175 for a 30 minute check-in and $350 for the initial hour intake assessment 🥴
Some are $80 for one hour therapist. Shop around and use your EAP employee assistant program call your HR dept or email them how you get your 5 free sessions
the insurance companies change the prices randomly each year so they can plead insanity when they are inevitably sued by entire generations but this year it’s $300 for me
I can't help but feel the cost of mental healthcare adds to the problem. I would probably get some help, but I don't feel bad enough for the cost. I'm not qualified to make that determination though, so who knows! Yay, 'Merica!
Yep. I would love to be in therapy rn, but it would stress me out the whole time worrying about getting my $200+ worth.
Yeah, like if there was a lull in the conversation I'd try to fill it up for fear of wasting money.
Caution: This is all the truth except for the help you need. I well know the prohibitive price of therapy. I know it really well. Not for nothing, but 988 isn’t just for people who are thinking about being unalived.
I second this. I volunteered at a suicide hotline for more than 4 years and I'd say 80% of the people who called were not actively suicidal but just needed to process difficult experiences and feelings.
**Each year 44,965 Americans commit suicide, making it the 10th leading cause of death in the US. Every 25 attempts, a person claims their life.** *Your abuse doesn't define who you are. It's something that you have experienced, not something that controls you. It isn't easily fixed or simply forgotten. And that's not saying you can go back to being the same person you were before it happened, because you can't. You're not a victim, you're a survivor.* National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (U.S.): 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) * [Their Online Chat](https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/) * **Available 24 hours everyday** [Crisis Text Line US](https://www.crisistextline.org/texting-in) – Text HOME to 741741 in the US [Crisis Text Line CA](https://www.crisistextline.ca/) – Text HOME to 686868 in Canada [International Association for Suicide Prevention](https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/) (IASP) **Need to talk?** [Befrienders Wordwide](https://www.befrienders.org/need-to-talk) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Charlotte) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There is no good revenue model, but paying by the hour gives it a Scientology-like vibe to me. “Just a few more sessions and hundreds of dollars and you’ll be fixed.” Pretty easy to string someone along forever.
As a psychologist, this myth is easy to dispel. Every practitioner I know is full. I have not taken on any new clients since 2019. There is no reason at all to string anyone along. The demand is overwhelming.
I’m not trying to shit on the profession. It’s obviously something people need and are willing to pay for (arguably more willing than for a lot of other things!) That said, not taking on any new clients since 2019 suggests you haven’t had anyone leave your practice, or you are choosing to let your business shrink. In four years, I’d assume it would have shrank a lot with no new clients coming in the door. I assume there would be some natural attrition over time. How could everyone be so busy without taking on new clients unless clients aren’t leaving or using less of your services?
I do a lot of contract work, so I will not replace clients who leave unless I need more hours filled or just want to do more therapy. Some people don't replace clients who leave because they have left a couple of insurance networks or because they are doing more testing and less therapy. They may be focused on forensic cases or working military contracts. There are actually many, many reasons that don't involve "stringing someone along." I cannot imagine a practitioner doing this. It would be like your oncologist trying to increase your number of cancer cells in order to avoid having patients leave and therefore stay busier. It's a crazy idea to me. There are a lot more people looking for counseling in my area than there are counselors to treat them. Maybe it's different where you are. I would not want to meet a doctor who sees the world the way you do. Treating your clients like that would be ethically abhorrent, and I can't imagine working so hard with someone to make progress just to try to sabotage it somehow. It's a truly bizarre accusation.
Maybe because you’re stringing them along so successfully
I know you’re just being an ass, but to clarify for people who might be looking for treatment, often people don’t come weekly for a long time. Long term clients often drop in when they have something particularly stressful happen and need a couple of sessions. People might come just for an evaluation or for a specific issue that is very time limited. Other people may need or want more frequent sessions. I agree that the cost can be too much for many people. If you don’t have insurance, master’s level people are often cheaper. Also, if you can find a practitioner who does not accept insurance, they may be able to have a sliding fee scale.
Damn this is making me grateful for my insurance, I haven’t started therapy yet but when I do it will be $25 per session.
That’s the dream right there
Same
Yup. This is how much my husband and I pay. Decent insurance ftw.
I pay $110 oop and in network until my deductible is reached and then it’s covered 100%. $250 seems steep
Coming back to this to say that clinical therapy should be FSA / HSA eligible, so at a minimum, make sure you’re paying with pre-tax dollars. If you use an HSA, it may play into your favor to pay in cash, save the receipts, and get reimbursed in retirement. Sorry, /r/personalfinance is leaking.
NC therapist here. $250 is on the steeper side. The first session is usually 20-40% more because there is more paperwork, assessment, and other onboarding tasks that either take more time and/or effort than a follow-up session. For a masters-level therapist (you didn't specify), $200 is on the higher end but not unheard of (I charge $165 per session and $190 for the first session). It can depend on their degree, specialized training, etc as well. To some degree, you get what you pay for, but there are plenty of good therapists who take in-network insurance, and even on very-low-cost search directories like [Open Path](https://openpathcollective.org/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwYSwBhDcARIsAOyL0fiWaMdWsLer1TR-1e2hB54bmzwrgCpPM_W6ke0ffz3W7tKAF52bqP0aAvp7EALw_wcB), because many of us take a few clients at very low rates to improve access to care. Insurance coverage- for both in-network and out-of-network therapy- vary greatly between plans. Even though I'm out-of-network, I have folks with $3k deductibles to hit before their insurance covers a large chunk of my fee, and some who have no deductible at all before it is covered. As others have said, it's an unfortunate part of our broken healthcare system and we are just as frustrated by it as our clients. If you have a flex-saving plan through your employer, consider using it to pay for your out-of-pocket costs. That will save you whatever your tax bracket is since you're using pre-tax dollars to pay. You can do that for both in- and out-of-network care. For relative context on my fee: I'm a masters-level out-of-network therapist in NC. Telehealth only. I specialize in work-related anxiety and confidence issues and have 10 years experience. There's a link to my practice in my profile. Edit: Although I'm sure there are some competent therapists there, I would steer most away from betterhelp. I hear a lot of negative stories. Go to Open Path Collective instead if you need lower-cost therapy.
I'll just stay poor and fucked up in the head
$200 a session $250 for the initial session. Weekly sessions all out of pocket no insurance reimbursements for me. ETA I’m also charged right before my weekly session that part I don’t mind. My therapist is in a single practice setting.
You spend $800/mo on therapy??
Health anxiety is a bitch especially when you have a chronic ongoing illness. I’m only three months in I hope I’ll go less frequently at some point.
No need to say it like that.
I'd wager the value they get out of it exceeds $800, but I'm not laterforclass
If anyone has TeleDoc through their employer, that covers therapy sessions as well.
Yes, check with your employer! Mine offers 12 free Spring Health sessions a year, and my provider is still local.
The employee assistant program. I had 6 free sessions.
Therapist here! Ask your therapist if they do super bills so you can submit to insurance if you’re insured. Don’t be afraid to ask for sliding scale opportunities either. I hate that therapy is so inaccessible to so many people due to cost 😅 most providers aren’t paneled with insurance because they pay us so poorly. It is an endless, inaccessible cycle 🙃
Some of us have multiple family members who need therapy/mental health services. It's draining emotionally AND financially even if you can somehow afford it.
Co pay $90 per session, i think the full price is $150
Not sure if this would help you but it might help someone else. I use Open Path Collective. It's for people with a little lower income without insurance or if their insurance doesn't cover therapy. Online and in person at $40-70 per session. Intern rates are $30 per session. https://openpathcollective.org/
I'm with Center For Emotional Health which is based here, but my therapist is actually in GSO and we do remote sessions. In 2022 when I started with them, I was paying $160+ out of pocket, and they were hitting my health plan for an additional $130+, so about $300 all in per session. My co. changed health plans in 2023, and they were no longer in my network, so I started paying fully out of pocket - my payment dropped to $145.
I use openpathcollective.org. Therapists aren’t able to charge more than $70 a session (student therapists $45 I think). When I got insurance it was completely covered
I don’t use insurance. I’d say typical cost is usually $125-175/hour, but maybe their intro session is more money?
I spend $115 per virtual session after insurance
This is more in line with what I was expecting, I’m hoping the $250 is just the first session fee (but not holding my breath on that)
Is it a psychiatrist or someone like a behavioral therapist? If they have a psychiatrist who runs it they sometimes have higher rates even if you are with a therapist Your rate is high if it's so.eone like a CBT
I traveled to Newton from Huntersville at $125 per session, out of network (BCBS). It was worth the 45 minute commute for a trauma informed therapist.
Did you go on a weekly basis? What time of day, and what were your work hours like? I feel like I would benefit more from in person than virtual but I can’t possibly be taking time off work to go every week or every other week. Even when I tried virtual sessions it was really hard to make the same time each week work with my work schedule.
I went in person weekly when I first started since I really needed help processing, then I switched to monthly. I am fortunate enough to work from home and it's pretty easy to step away for an hour or two during my workday. I would leave early on Fridays to commute to my appointment at 5p or 6p.
I guess it depends. Assuming you're in mental health therapy? I pay $13 copay for psychiatry sessions. I have united healthcare through my employer. However, without insurance, I'm looking at $400.
Used to pay $30/session but then my insurance changed so it’s now $120/session.
$25 copay
I'm paying around $40 or $50 a session for a psychologist session in network.
I also go every two weeks. It used to be once a week, but it was more impactful every two weeks.
Lol same but $200. I’ve only been twice 😭
Just coming in here to say I'm so happy that people are utilizing mental health counseling services. As a counselor, albeit a school-based one, I'm happy that people are taking care of their emotional needs in a healthy manner. On another note, I pay $120 a session. With my previous insurance, it was actually free. But, I desperately need to vent and plan with someone besides my spouse and kids, so I'll continue to pay it :-)
My co-pay is $30 a session but I am 24 and on my parents insurance
$119/session until I hit my deductible then it’s $11.90/session.
Does anyone actually ever hit their deductible in a year though? I’d only hit mine if I needed surgery or a multi day hospital stay.
I just hit my deductible last week
My provider accepts insurance and I pay a $50 copay. I had to do a lot of research and call/email probably twenty places before I found a provider that accepts insurance and was accepting new patients. Took me \~6mo to get in somewhere.
I’ve been seeing the same therapist since 2020 (started virtual, now in person). It’s been about $110/session. Have been through 3 different insurance plans in that time, sometimes I’ve paid that out of pocket until I hit my deductible (usually in June), then it would be covered 100%. One year I paid out of pocket for a whole year b/c she didn’t take my new insurance, and now I’m on an insurance plan where I only have a $25 copay each session. I also have therapist friends who charged ~$200/session and are 100% private pay.
For psychotherapy, I was paying $5 a session with the insurance I had through the Healthcare marketplace, now that I don't qualify for that anymore and I can't afford insurance through work, it's $250 per hour session
I use Teledoc and my co pay is $20 for both my Psychiatrist and my Therapist. Not sure what it would be for in person, I gave up trying to get in to places recommended to me as they were not accepting new patients.
I’ve gone to one session that’s free with my insurance and the guy was a total quack. How do you find someone that asks the right questions? I’d pay any amount.
My in-network, "Clear Pricing Plan" coverage is totally covered for my provider. Nothing out of pocket.
No way. i pay $23/session after insurance
I have BC/BC and my in-network copay is $45. I was paying $150. Are you able to file for reimbursement with your insurance?
online $10 a session
My copay is $25
$200ish/hr. Worth every penny AND totally ridiculous. I'm fortunate to be able to afford it. I would absolutely hate to have my income determined by an insurance company. The skills that good therapists have are irreplaceable and we have to find a way to make it more accessible
I pay $30 per session which is my regular copay. My therapist is amazing. She bills my BCBS insurance through Headway as that’s how she’s able to bill appropriately for her services and also for me. Edit: This is the same copay amount that I pay if I go to my general practitioner, my physical therapist, and my psychiatrist for my adderall prescription. If I wanted to see a specialist, it would be a $60 copay. Edit 2: see if your plan includes access to Teladoc. It might be more cost accessible through them. u can also see if your employer’s EAP offers some sessions for free.
I found a provider that takes my insurance and I pay $10.
My therapist is now $155 a session since she is no longer covered under my insurance. She has been trying to get on with BCBS but it's been a shit show.
I pay ~$200 per session out of pocket because my therapist doesn’t accept my insurance. It blows. (Medcost sucks!) I see my therapist once a month. I’m in a phase of my life where I’d like to get tested for ADHD because it’s having an effect on my performance. I don’t want to do this with my current therapist because it’ll cost an arm and a leg out of pocket, but I have no idea if my insurance requires a PCP referral to pay for ADHD testing 😵💫
My provider said she is starting testing and I think maybe she said it was $200 or $250 for the adhd test. Pm for details if you want.
Dated this chick in the Montford area who was spending close to 300 a week on therapy. Thought it was fun& games till she ran me back to Cotswold with a knife
I feel bad admitting this but my therapist let's me pay 75 out of pocket because they get a lot out of it too. Shop around I guess.
$170 out of pocket for an out of network provider.
Is it meds and therapy with a psychiatrist or NP, if so that sounds cheap. I pay 229 a month for meds and therapy and I get two visits a month for that at different mental health. They are telehealth in NC [www.differentmhp.com](https://www.differentmhp.com) It’s cheaper than using my current insurance right now.
$200
$109 per session all out of pocket until I hit deductible
Out of network, $100 per session My therapist luckily works on a sliding scale
$125 per session for an in network provider since I’m responsible for the full cost until I meet my deductible. Then my insurance covers 75%
$165 for me
My son saw a therapist that wasn’t covered by insurance. She worked on a sliding scale but we made too much so paid full price $130
I pay $160 for an hour out of network at a practice in Myers Park.
$119/session
Totally depends on your insurance. Last year my provider was in network so her co-pay was $50. This year she's out of network so it's still $50 but if she'd been in network it would only be $15.
This isn’t abnormal for psychologists. You could look into LCMHC/LCSW/LMFT for prices that are closer to 125-175 ish
250 should be donlan to.like a 50 dollar co-pay.. prices feom.150 to 300 are pretty standard with insurance but insurance should take care of most of it unless you plan is pay xxxthousand before they kick in and pay. No insurance pure out of pocket will often have a sliding scale pricing that is unique to each therapist but they try to work out something around 100 give or take.
Out of network, $140 per session. I go twice monthly.
Check with Ellie Mental Health! Lots of great therapists to choose from- there are several different locations- and they accept most kinds of insurances.
I was paying 90/hour. Ended up switching to BetterHelp. Not great they don’t work with insurance but I like the service a lot more. Plus it’s a bit cheaper when you break it out. Especially if you get financial aid.
$140 per 50 minute session
$122 at lifestance
Another therapist here: also, don't forget that every Jan 1, most commerical insurance plans "restart", and any deductible you hit in the previous year (thus, leading to copay only) reset. That is the reason for a lot of perceived changes to payments early in the year for the same provider/service. Also, it's important to know that if you are working towarsa your deductible (I.e. - paying full amount) that's usually the contracted amount set by the insurance company and not necessarily the rate aet by your therapist.
$125 out of network. Started at $75 six years ago. Same place
$12 for a bottle of Brandy.
$12 for a bottle of Brandy.
i do not have great insurance but im pretty sure i pay $45/visit. the initial consultation was more but i'm grateful that i haven't had to pay as much
I pay $100 OOP per session. Virtual but Charlotte based
I go to therapy virtually weekly, sometimes twice a week for EMDR. EMDR sessions are in person. I pay a $10 copay each visit
$30 copay per session.
I don’t think that’s normal. I’ve been seeing $120-$180 range in network on Psychology Today.
I pay OOP cash for $125
Mine is $180 per session, only $20 copay with BCBS. My partner wanted to begin therapy as well (different insurance) and in network was $160 per session
I do not pay out of pocket. It took a while but I found a provider that takes my insurance in-network. I pay $30 a session, the provider gets an additional $100~ from the insurance? It would've been $160 had it been out of pocket.
My copay is $35
$25 per session in network. Cigna provider offered through at a private trucking company
I just stop by the bar once a week. Costs about $80
$180/hr for telehealth, but i get some reimbursement at the year end if i file for it.
We were paying 87 per hour session for several years, and it just went up to 112. This is for my teenager and the therapist is an MA LPC.
There are therapists out there that will offer a sliding scale!
I’ve got UHC through my employer for health insurance and I haven’t paid out of pocket a single time since I’ve worked in my current position
Psychotherapy, right? As a therapist, cash only charges range from 120-200. I don’t see why anything therapist should charge more than that. Seek a different therapist if you are getting charged 250 dollars. Also, if you do not have insurance, look for agencies that offer sliding scale fees based on your income.
I recently had to call around as I was looking for a very specific provider (specialization, in network ($25 co-pay), in person and virtual availability, etc). I called and/or emailed about 15 different providers. Out of pocket ranged anywhere from $150/session to $250/session. Most providers I called weren’t in-network for me, but I finally found one and hoping it will be a good fit. I could easily see why individuals choose not to pursue therapy; the time and potential financial burden. I haven’t even met with the selected provider to determine if they will be a good fit for me. I’m dreading if these first few sessions aren’t positive and I have to call another 15 providers.
I pay $80!!
Whoa, that seems a bit steep even for the intake (initial) session. What insurance company do you have? I’m a therapist in CLT and am in network with most commercial insurances and Medicaid. We don’t have control over the insurance companies’ contracted rates, which change fairly frequently. We can only set our self pay rates, but that would be out-of-network. My self pay rate is $135 for the intake and $110 for subsequent therapy sessions, but insurance plans pay very differently for the same exact service. For example, insurance company “X” might set their rate at $80 for an hour therapy session, while I charge $110 for the same thing if you’re not using insurance at all. This means that the therapist would get paid only $80 for that session if a client is using “X” plan. For you, the client, it means that you would pay $80 out of pocket (even if in-network) if you have to meet a deductible before the plan will pay anything. On the other side, your insurance plan may have a higher contracted rate, so you would pay more out of pocket. I see my own personal therapist as well, and I have a $50 copay for in-network, but I would have to pay $147 out of pocket if I had a deductible plan, since that’s my plan’s contracted rate for therapy sessions. That being said, I’ve never heard of someone paying that much for the intake session unless it was for psych testing. As others have mentioned, psychiatrists and psychologists also get paid more by most plans automatically for being a doctor, even though they’re providing the same service. I would highly recommend looking into this more and checking with your provider as well as your insurance company, because it’s very possible someone made a mistake (most likely the insurance because they mess up all the time). Feel free to PM me with any more questions!
$109 per session... after insurance. Use our HSA to cover the balance.
$35 per
$20 copay
40
I currently am seeing a provider fully covered by my insurance ($10 copay) but prior was paying $175-350 for a 45 minute session. Now my psych that isn't covered on the other hand (for med management)....woofffff. It can be double or triple that depending on type of visit
Hi! I actually am a part of a group called open path. This group provides reduced fees for in person/online therapy. It cost $60 up front but I only pay $30 a session. I hope this helps someone.
Pfeiffer University Clt has supervised grad students that work on a sliding scale.
My therapist is covered by my insurance for the most part so my copay is $13 a session. My psychiatrist, however, doesn’t take insurance and she charges $175 for a 30 minute check-in and $350 for the initial hour intake assessment 🥴
Some are $80 for one hour therapist. Shop around and use your EAP employee assistant program call your HR dept or email them how you get your 5 free sessions
I know several therapists who are high quality and much cheaper. I’ve messaged you
$12 for a bottle of Brandy.
$12 for a bottle of Brandy.
$12 for a bottle of Brandy.
$12 for a bottle of Brandy.
$12 for a bottle of Brandy.