WHAT IS THE COST OF COUNSELING?

This question is slightly complex. The simplest answer is: “It depends.”

Do you want to use insurance? Your out of pocket is some combination of what your insurance company contracts with me to pay and your plan details, such as deductible, co-payments, and co-insurance.

Do you want to self-pay? Merinda has self-pay discounts available. (For example, a self-pay contract would charge $150 for a 60 minute session, a $40 discount.) If you have insurance that Merinda is paneled with, that you do not wish to use, her contracted rates with your insurance company also apply to you. Sometimes these are lower than the self-pay discounts, sometimes they are higher. Merinda will contract with you for whichever rate is lower between the two.

Contracted rates for reimbursement vary widely between insurance companies, with about a $75 range. The rates listed below were set to encompass that full range of contracts:

  • 60 minute session (53+ min)                    $190.00

  • Couple/family session (26+ min)                $190.00

  • First session (Intake Assessment)               $215.00

  • 45 minute session (38-52 min.)                   $140.00

  • 30 minute session  (16-37 min)                    $100.00

Please contact Merinda or our biller, Abigail at Abbey@HawthornCounseling.org, with your details for a more accurate estimate of your cost.

PAYMENT

Payment for your portion is due at the end of each session, unless an arrangement has been previously made. Exact cash, check, and all major credit cards and Health Savings Account cards are acceptable forms of payment. You have the ability to put a card on file, and our biller will charge that card following your session.

CANCELLATION POLICY

If you do not show up for your scheduled therapy appointment, and you have not notified Merinda at least 24 hours in advance, you will be required to pay a $50 no-show fee.

INSURANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Mental health appointment fees may be covered in part or in full by your insurance provider. We recommend you call to find out the details of your coverage. You might ask:

  • What are my outpatient mental health benefits?

  • Is Merinda Leach/Hawthorn Counseling In-Network with my plan?

  • Do I have a deductible? Has it been met?

  • What is my co-payment and/or co-insurance?

If you wish, you can contact our biller, Abigail at Abbey@HawthornCounseling.org, for more guidance.

SELF PAYMENT and the NO SURPRISES ACT

As you are arranging therapy services, Merinda will ask you if you:

  1. Have medical insurance coverage,

  2. Plan to use your insurance for reimbursement of your therapy sessions. This includes both claims submitted by Hawthorn Counseling, and claims submitted by yourself for out-of-network reimbursement.

If you do not have insurance, or do not intend to seek reimbursement from your insurance company, you are entitled by federal law to a “Good Faith Estimate” (GFE) of what the charges could be for psychotherapy services provided to you. While it is not possible for a psychotherapist to know, in advance, how many sessions may be necessary or appropriate for a given person, a GFE provides a cost estimate. Your total cost of services will depend upon the number of psychotherapy sessions you attend, your individual circumstances, and the type and amount of services that are provided to you. A GFE is not a contract for services. It will not obligate you to accept the services described, nor will it include any services rendered to you that are not identified in the estimate.

Merinda does not provide estimates for more than 3 months of services at a time. You will therefore receive updated estimates quarterly through the duration of your treatment, as long as you continue to self-pay. If you have questions about this estimate, please contact Merinda or our biller, Abigail at Abbey@HawthornCounseling.org.

SCHEDULING

To schedule an appointment, email Merinda at LeachMerinda@HawthornCounseling.org or use the submission form located on this site’s Contact page.