Lifeworks Insurance Information and Fees

Fee Schedule

Why Not Insurance?

1. Lack of Confidentiality: "All your information, including diagnoses, goes into a central computer bank which can be accessed by any physician, college, law enforcement agency, military group, insurance company, etc. and can be used against you (or your children)."

2. Difficulty Getting Treatment Authorized: "Most HMO's and PPO's only authorize a limited number of sessions, and even if you feel you may need more, they may not authorize them, nor allow you see me more often or past their cut- off date, and you may have to change to a different therapist outside their network and pay full fee mid-treatment. I also may be required to give detailed reports regarding your issues and progress in order to get more sessions authorized, and your treatment plans may be dictated to me by your managed care representative."

3. Mis-Diagnosing and/or Over-Diagnosing to Get Treatment Authorized: "Most managed care plans do not cover life adjustment issues, couples or marital counseling, family conflicts, or any other presenting problem that does not meet the definition for 'mental illness.' Furthermore, they often will not allow sessions for clients who do not have AXIS I diagnoses, which are typically more serious mental illnesses. I cannot ethically give you a diagnosis that does not fit your situation simply to get insurance reimbursement."

HOWEVER…
Should you choose to seek reimbursement of your counseling fees through your insurance company, you and I will discuss an appropriate diagnosis. I will then provide you with a receipt that includes all the information required, including the diagnostic code.