Payment.

[Justmehere]

My insurance stopped paying my therapist. She told me she would tell me when we got to that point and we would figure it out.

She didn't. I forgot myself, and 3 weeks later, I just remembered we were close to it running out. I called the insurance and they had not approved more sessions since two months ago. I paid my co-pay today, but suddenly lost all courage to ask about it. I don't know why it takes me courage.

I think I'm scared I can't afford her at the full rate - I don't even know what it is.

I'm normally quite direct and straightforward in therapy. I'm the customer and it's my job to make sure this is all taken care of.

Now I'm in the hole, and I owe her for 3 weeks of sessions where I have no only paid my small co-pay. I don't understand why she died bring it up today. Or the last three weeks. I'm going to call her tomorrow to ask her to please let me know how much I owe since the insurance stopped paying.

I'm scared I owe more than I can pay, and I am scared that maybe she was planning to write it off. I don't think I could handle either of those options. I don't want her to know how much I'm financially struggling and I don't want her to waive any costs. She deserves to be paid properly. She works hard.

Does anyone else have a hard time talking about the financial aspect of treatment?

 

[mrsps]

Oh I totally understand where you are coming from! If it was me I would have to txt or email my T to ask as I wouldn't be able to ask in person or on the phone! Good luck and try not to worry too much about it :)

 

[Suzetig]

Yep, I get it too. A couple if weeks ago we had a really intense session and we both forgot about me saying her. She sent a really gentle text message saying it was fine, we both forgot and I could pay next time. I felt awful but knew it would be ok.

Later on I was looking in her website to check her postal address and found that she's raised her fee but hasn't told me. I could pay the increased fee, but feel awkward asking about it, but I too feel she works hard with me and is incredibly generous with her time so find it hard not paying her full rate. Your therapist clearly knows your insurance has stopped and it sounds like she's made a decision to see you regardless, which is an act of kindness but I too would feel uncomfortable with that.

 

[Casper1018]

I would talk to her about it. Unless you have a very quick turn around for payment by your insurance company, she may not know. It takes sometimes 2 months for my insurance to pay. I know my T does not do her own billing and is admittedly clueless about the whole financial aspect. I had a different therapist who I saw for 20 years and didn't take insurance. She let me pay weekly what I could pay and kept a running tab, which at the time was thoughtful. Then she changed her mind when the economy tanked, and wanted the entire amount (several thousand) plus the interest she said she would never charge, and it ruined our relationship that had always been strong. No matter how much a therapist likes us and wants to make things easier for us, they still have bills to pay. I learned the hard way to keep my bill paid in full, and this new therapist appreciates it.

 

[desiderata310]

@Justmehere I am LIVING this.
About 3 months ago, I said something to my therapist about the fact that I was worried about this and he came out and said he had been putting off telling me but that my insurance had run out (I am out of network with him but my insurance agreed to work with him some because he was the only one doing EMDR anywhere within a days drive)

This news actually set me off in a really bad way but my therapist promised that he was ok with it and that he has his practice set up to take a few people like this. I've been paying the copay every time and since I learned about this I've upped my own copay to him. He knows I am financially unable to do more.

One thing that we tried (and discovered that I can not get because of the strange circumstances of my case) was to get help from Victim Witness Assistance. They are set up to help with a lot of different things, including help paying for therapy. It might be worth looking in to.

When I found out (a couple of days ago) that Victim Witness wouldn't help me, my therapist texted me and said "don't cry, I got your insurance to cover some more sessions"

I cried buckets.

I've told him that I am going to try to come up with a way to pay back what I really owe which if he holds me to it, would be in the thousands.

 

[desiderata310]

Oh, and she may have not brought it up because she may be waiting on a decision from the insurance company to decide if they will grant more. They can often write and appeal an insurance decision.

 

[Dana1010]

She deserves to be paid properly. She works hard.

Therapists make a ton of money; I wouldn't worry about three sessions. And for every hard client they have, there's a rich lady in a fur coat who imagines she has "marital problems."

Also, there was all sorts of confusion, right?

She told me she would tell me when we got to that point and we would figure it out.

It's not your fault. Very few people can afford three figures an hour out-of-pocket, and they know the clients with insurance can't afford it. She can't just expect you to come up with money you don't have. It was a communication breakdown between the insurance company, your therapist and you. You don't deserve to take a financial blow for it.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

Therapists make a ton of money

Ummm...no. They have big overhead costs, higher taxes and they also work a lot of overtime. Not to mention the degree they had to get to become therapists in the first place.

 

[Lucycat]

Therapists make a ton of money; I wouldn't worry about three sessions. And for every hard client they have, there's a rich lady in a fur coat who imagines she has "marital problems."

My therapist certainly doesn't. That is incredibly judgmental and a gross generalisation.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

Does anyone else have a hard time talking about the financial aspect of treatment?

I agree with you. I am not paying my therapist right now and this was his idea. I know we need to talk about payment soon becasue he works hard and the reasons for him uncomfortable with me paying him are getting better.

I am really sorry for the spot you are in. Just telling you that you aren't alone.

 

[Dana1010]

@Ayesha, how did you find a therapist who would treat you for free?

 

[Suzetig]

Therapists make a ton of money; I wouldn't worry about three sessions. And for every hard client they have, there's a rich lady in a fur coat who imagines she has "marital problems.

That's not true where I am. My therapist makes an ok living, but she's incredibly generous with her time and works very hard with all her clients, including the "worried well". Besides which, as a trauma specialist she her case load is seriously demanding, I think therapists deserve to be paid for their work and appreciate greatly those who chose to offer a break to their clients, recognising it as an act of kindness and generosity, not a right that the client has to free treatment.