Cross Country Counseling

Fees

Services offered

15-minute informational consultation: no cost
90-minute new client first session: $205
50-minute weekly session: $155

I reserve a limited number of reduced rate spots to help increase access to counseling for individuals with fewer financial resources who lack mental health insurance coverage or out-of-network benefits. Please contact me to request information and current availability.

Payment

Payment is available by debit or credit card, including HSA and FSA.

Payment information and authorization is required for appointment reservation. Fees are charged to the designated payment card upon the date of the scheduled appointment.

Cancellation policy

Advanced notice to reschedule or cancel appointments is requested in order to provide availability to other clients. There is no service charge for appointments rescheduled or canceled 48 hours or more in advance of reserved appointment time. Missed appointments and appointments canceled less than 48 hours in advance are charged for the full session rate. A late cancellation fee reduction may be considered with verification of an unavoidable emergency barrier to service.

Insurance

I do not accept insurance and I am not in-network with any insurance plan. I am an out-of-network provider for insurance plans, and by request I can provide an invoice of itemized service, called a “superbill,” to clients with out-of-network mental/behavioral health insurance coverage to submit for cost reimbursement of covered services. I do not accept insurance payment assignments or submit and negotiate claims directly, and I am unable to assess whether your health insurance plan or account will provide reimbursement.

An "out-of-network" ("OON") provider is a qualified provider who has not negotiated a direct service contract with a health insurance company. HMO plans often provide full coverage only for in-network provider services, while PPO plans may offer partial reimbursement for covered services with out-of-network providers. Medicare, Tricare, and most Medicaid plans will not reimburse for my services.

Many insurers are required to provide mental health benefits. If you are planning to request health insurance reimbursement for mental health services, it is important to confirm the details of your specific plan's coverage in advance to avoid unexpected costs or denial of your claims. Be aware that most health insurance providers require that clients in mental health counseling are assigned a mental disorder diagnosis that is released to the insurance company and may also request to review additional mental healthcare records to further verify eligibility for participating members. Health insurance companies establish limits around what each plan considers “medically necessary” with respect to service reimbursement and may not cover all clinical diagnoses or issues requiring clinical attention. Health insurance companies may also determine reimbursement rates based on your plan's preestablished "usual, customary, and reasonable" ("UCR") fees for service rather than your actual costs of service.

Washington and Montana have telehealth service parity laws requiring private health insurers to offer telehealth service coverage that is equivalent to policy coverage for in-person services. Washington has also passed a telehealth payment parity law requiring health insurers to offer telehealth payment rates at the same levels as equivalent in-person services.

To understand your health insurance plan's specific policies and limits, review the policy information provided by your insurance company or contact your health insurer's customer service department to ask questions. Your state Insurance Commissioner's office can also provide additional resources for general insurance navigation or complaints:

Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner
Consumer Assistance Hotline: (800) 562-6900

Montana State Auditor, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance
Consumer Assistance Hotline: (800) 332-6148

Questions to ask your health insurance provider if using mental health coverage

Does my plan provide coverage for outpatient mental health services (CPT codes 90791 and 90834)? Are there any coverage limits (number, frequency, duration) for those services?

Does my plan cover preexisting conditions?

Does my plan cover services provided by telehealth (remote live video)? If covered, are there any differences in my plan's reimbursement terms for telehealth versus equivalent in-person services? Does my plan require a specific combination of location code and modifier to process superbills for reimbursement of telehealth services?

Does my plan cover services performed by out-of-network providers?

If my plan does have out-of-network benefits, what is my plan's out-of-network deductible? How much is currently remaining on my deductible and when will it be renewed?

If my plan does have out-of-nework benefits, what are my plan's applicable copayments and/or coinsurance rates?

What are my plan's applicable UCR rates or payment allowances for out-of-network outpatient mental health services?

Do I need a referral from my primary care physician to be eligible for my plan's mental health benefits?

Do I need prior authorization from my insurance company to be eligible for my plan's mental health benefits?

How and where do I submit reimbursement claims for my covered out-of-network mental health services?

What is the average processing time for out-of-network service reimbursement claims?