Fees & Insurance

At Couples Chat Therapy, we believe that therapy is a meaningful investment in your relationship.  We aim to be transparent about fees to help you make an informed choice about your care.

• Initial Consultation (15 minutes): Free
• Individual therapy session (50 minutes): $180 
• Couples/Triad therapy session (50 minutes): $250
• Extended couples therapy session (90 minutes): $300 
• Couples Intensives - coming soon

Payment is due at the beginning of the session.  We accept credit cards through a secure online system.  Individual therapy or couples therapy focused on a mental health issue may be HSA/FSA eligible.  Couples therapy, focused solely on the relationship, unfortunately, is not FSA eligible.

 At Couples Chat Therapy, we are an out-of-network provider and do not accept insurance directly. However, we can provide you with a "Superbill" which is a detailed receipt of services rendered, which you may submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement. Coverage for couples therapy varies among insurance plans; many insurers do not cover it unless it's deemed "medically necessary" due to a diagnosed mental health condition. ​

Please note that submitting a superbill does not guarantee reimbursement, as policies differ between insurance companies. Additionally, some clients choose to use Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to pay for therapy services.​ Submitting a superbill to your insurance company means they’ll receive certain information about your treatment, including your diagnosis and identifying details. It becomes part of your insurance and medical records, just as it would if you used in-network benefits. 

Many plans reimburse between 50% to 80% of the session after your out-of-network deductible has been met.  To better understand your benefits, contact your insurance provider.

 We certainly understand clients wanting to make the most of their insurance.   However, there are several reasons why Couples Chat Therapy chose to not directly accept or bill insurance. 

Who Is The Client?

When it comes to insurance, there can only be one client. For couples, this can be a problem. It means that we have to identify someone as “the client,” the one with the problem.  Therapy is about everyone coming in and owning their own parts in the problems within the bigger system. Having one person as the “identified patient” can get in the way of that.

How "BAD" Is Your Issue?

Insurance companies only pay for what they see as “medically necessary.” In other words, they want to make sure that your mental health issue is so severe that it impacts your everyday functioning at work, school, social situations, or daily living, such as bathing, eating, etc. When billing your insurance, your therapist needs to make a strong justification for what your diagnosis is and how it impairs you from being a functional individual.

This can be a big problem. First, many clients come in to work on issues that aren't mental health disorders. They seek treatment before their issue would meet the criteria for diagnosis as a mental health disorder (and that is a good thing). Rather than being supported in taking a proactive approach to dealing with their mental health, clients are penalized by their carriers because what they are seeking help with is not “medically necessary.”

Most insurance policies don’t cover marriage or couples counseling. It is diagnosed as a Z-Code, a code that indicates an issue that may come up in therapy that does not qualify as a mental health diagnosis. It is this code that most insurers will simply reject. Some therapists will bill insurance for couples counseling by diagnosing the “identified patient” with a mental health diagnosis. The problem is that if they then do marriage therapy, they are not actually treating the diagnosis that is being billed for. This does not fit with our therapists' ethical standards.

Counseling or therapy services are an investment in you and/or your relationships' overall well-being and health. You’re looking for help because you are ready for your life to be better. Investing in solid counseling services is one of the best things you can do for your ultimate success in life, for your loved ones, and, most importantly, for your own happiness and well-being.  

 At this time, all sliding scale slots at Couples Chat Therapy are currently full. Sliding scale spots are limited and reviewed on a quarterly basis, continued eligibility is not guaranteed. However, we’re happy to provide referrals to trusted therapists who offer a range of fees or lower-cost options.

If you’d like help finding a provider that fits your budget, please email us at info@coupleschattherapy.com.  We are here to support you in getting the care you need.

We understand that life is complex and sometimes things come up unexpectedly. To respect everyone's time and support the therapeutic process, sessions must be cancelled at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled appointment time.

Sessions that are not cancelled within 24 hours will be subject to a late cancellation fee equal to the full cost of the session

Under the No Surprises Act (H.R. 133 - which will go into effect on January 1, 2022), health care providers need to give clients or patients who do not have insurance or who are not using insurance or paying or of pocket have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate (GFE), an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

• This Good Faith Estimate shows the costs of items and services that are reasonably expected for your health care needs for an item or service. The estimate is based on information known at the time the estimate was created. 
• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes (under the law/when applicable) related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
• The Good Faith Estimate does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that may arise during treatment. You could be charged more if complications or special circumstances occur. If this happens, federal law allows you to dispute (appeal) the bill. 
•  If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. 
  • You may contact the health care provider or facility listed to let them know the billed charges are higher than the Good Faith Estimate. You can ask them to update the bill to match the Good Faith Estimate, ask to negotiate the bill, or ask if there is financial assistance available. 
  • You may also start a dispute resolution process with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). If you choose to use the dispute resolution process, you must start the dispute process within 120 calendar days (about 4 months) of the date on the original bill. 
  • There is a $25 fee to use the dispute process. If the agency reviewing your dispute agrees with you, you will have to pay the price on this Good Faith Estimate. If the agency disagrees with you and agrees with the health care provider or facility, you will have to pay the higher amount. 
• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate within the following timeframes:
  • If the service is scheduled at least three business days before the appointment date, no later than one business day after the date of scheduling;
  • If the service is scheduled at least 10 business days before the appointment date, no later than three business days after the date of scheduling; or
  • If the uninsured or self-pay patient requests a good faith estimate (without scheduling the service), no later than three business days after the date of the request. A new good faith estimate must be provided, within the specified timeframes if the patient reschedules the requested item or service.
• The No Surprises Act has a universal waiver form required — which Spoken Balance has adapted into an identical online form. You may view the PDF of the waiver here. 
• This is the public disclosure of the “Good Faith Estimate” 

Note: A Good Faith Estimate is for your awareness only. It does NOT involve you needing to make any type of commitment.

To learn more and get a form to start the process, go to www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 800-985-3059. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate or the dispute process, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 800-985-3059.