Session Fees
All clients are seen for 55-minute sessions. One 55-minute therapy session is charged at a rate of $262 per session. Payment can be made by credit card (including FSA/HSA cards) on the client portal.
All clients at the practice cover costs for services out-of-pocket (also known as self-pay or cash-pay), by using HSA/FSA accounts (you use your card just like a self-pay client), or by using out-of-network insurance benefits. Contact your insurance company to learn about those benefits by calling the number on the back of your insurance card or by looking up your out-of-network coverage details in your insurance brochure.
Self-Pay vs. Using Insurance
If total privacy is a concern of yours, for whatever reason, self-pay is the most private option. Your diagnosis, treatment plan, progress notes, and all other documentation in your health record is never disclosed to your insurance company because you will not be using them to cover costs of therapy. This is the most costly option.
If keeping costs down is your primary concern, out-of-network insurance benefits is the most cost-saving option. Your insurance company will have access to your diagnosis and may request at any time access to your treatment plan, progress notes, and all other documentation in your record. This is the least private option.
With either option, you can plan to meet for therapy at a frequency that keeps costs affordable for you. Many clients meet weekly or bi-weekly for therapy, but other options include monthly, bi-monthly (every two months), or quarterly. Professional discretion must be used when setting treatment frequency and will account for your current symptoms and level of functioning. If you are not well enough to meet on a low-frequency schedule, other options will be offered to you, including referrals to providers who are in-network with your insurance plan.
Using Out-of-Network Insurance
Many clients don’t realize that their insurance might cover up to 80% of therapy costs via out-of-network benefits. This helps make your upfront costs feel more accessible. You can use the calculator below to estimate those costs of therapy using out-of-network insurance benefits with your current plan:
The process of using out-of-network insurance benefits entails you paying for services upfront, as a self-pay client would, but you would then receive what’s called a “superbill” for your sessions (essentially a receipt for the service you just paid for). You would submit those superbills to your insurance company, and they would reimburse you for some or most of the costs of your session(s).
To smooth the process of submitting superbills, clients can also opt to sign-up to use Mentaya (the makers of the calculator above), a company that will submit those superbills for you for a fee of 5% of your claim. This option feels similar to the in-network process of paying for therapy because you will not be submitting any paperwork to your insurance company yourself.
Mentaya is perfect for you if you:
- Have out-of-network benefits
- Feel overwhelmed by superbills and insurance
- Have submitted superbills in the past but failed to get any reimbursement
- Simply want to skip the hassle of paperwork
Here’s how it works:
- Sign up for Mentaya here.
- Dr. McMaster will enter your sessions into the Mentaya platform.
- Mentaya submits the claim and handles any insurance follow-up.
- You get reimbursed by insurance.
Mentaya charges a 5% fee per claim, which includes handling any paperwork required, dealing with denials, and calling insurance companies. It’s risk-free: They guarantee claims are successfully submitted, or a full refund of their fees.
Cancellation Fee
Cancellations or rescheduling of booked appointments must be completed at least 24 hours in advance of the booked session (e.g., Monday clients can cancel the Sunday prior to their appointment). Cancellations within 24 hours or no-shows will incur a charge of $262, that is the full cost of the session you are missing. Two missed appointments, including cancellations made with sufficient advance notice, may result in the termination of services.