There are three questions you should ask yourself before using health insurance for counseling:

• Do I want a mental health diagnosis in my health record?

• Do I want to keep my records private?

• Do I want to be in control of my treatment?

There are potentially three risks to using your health insurance for counseling:

Risk #1: A diagnosis is required

Insurance companies only pay for things that are “medically necessary”. Insurance companies require that everyone be given a diagnosis of a mental health disorder in order to pay for counseling.

Risk #2: Confidentiality

In addition to requiring a diagnosis, your confidentiality can be impacted. Contrary to popular opinion, HIPAA doesn’t keep your information completely confidential. Your diagnosis is something that is seen by multiple people at the insurance company, and can be shared with other insurance companies- life/disability/future health insurance companies, and the government. Some employers can even request you release the information to them. Some diagnoses can greatly increase your fees for insurance depending on the severity of the disorder.

The insurer can also audit your records at any time they wish, which means they can have full access to all information, including progress notes which can include details about what occurred during the counseling session.

By not using your insurance for counseling, you ensure the most confidentiality possible for you, your spouse, your child, or whoever is in counseling.

Risk #3: Insurance Company Controls Treatment

Insurance companies can limit what your counselor can do to help you. Instead of being able to do what is best for you, insurance companies can tell your counselor how many sessions are appropriate for a given diagnosis, and some even limit which type of counseling is approved.

Essentially, someone who has never met you will tell you what you need based on their company policy and their financial bottom line.

By not using insurance you will be able to get the help needed for as long as is needed and without limitation.

There are many benefits for paying “out-of-pocket” for counseling and not using your insurance. The main benefits are:

• A mental health diagnosis is not required.
• Your counseling records remain private and ar e not shared with an insurance company.
• You close your own counselor and not limited to ones offered on your insurance plan.
• You determine the focus of your treatment.
• You control the length of your treatment.

The usual answer is “no”. 

The problem is that many of life’s difficulties, and the reasons why people seek counseling, are often not mental health disorders and are not diagnosable. When this is the case, your medical insurance is not going to cover the treatment. 

If you plan to submit your receipts to insurance for out-of-network reimbursement, please contact your insurance provider to determine what mental health disorders are eligible for coverage.

It depends. 

Insurance companies often view relationship problems much in the same way that they view cosmetic procedures – they may be great, but they aren’t medically necessary. Using health insurance to cover counseling is not always straightforward. They want to see you using health insurance to cover counseling for things like depression, anxiety disorders, etc. (Not relationship problems.)

If there is a diagnosable mental disorder, the identified patient is permitted to have his/her partner present in the room while he/she receives treatment for a diagnosed mental illness. It is also expected that the counseling is focused on addressing the disorder.  The problem again lies in that many couples seeking therapy do not meet criteria for a diagnosable mental illness and want to focus on issues that insurance companies will not reimburse for.

If you are thinking of using health insurance to cover counseling for your marriage, be wary when an insurance company says that they “cover couples counseling”. They are usually not referring to marital and relationship counseling. They mean that they cover a procedural code for a spouse to be present in therapy.

No. 

A quote for benefits does not guarantee payment or reimbursement. You may be told over the phone that something is covered and given an authorization number. However, you can still be denied once your insurance provider reviews the diagnosis.

For in-person counseling at my office in Indianapolis, you can pay at the time of service. I accept cash, check and credit card.

For HIPAA-compliant video sessions, I will send you an invoice after the session via email with a link to conveniently pay by credit card online.

Cancellation requires a 24 hour notice. Appointments cancelled with less than a 24 hour notice will be billed at the session fee.

Once you have scheduled a video session, Eric will send you a link. You simply click on the link and join the video session. If you are early, there is a “virtual waiting room”. Once your session begins, the video will start.

Yes. It’s end-to-end encrypted.

There is no app. There are no downloads.  Doxy.me works with Firefox or Google Chrome. There is no need to download additional software or plugins.

Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and counselor. Successful counseling requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the counselor’s office.   Every counselor should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone.  This is called “Informed Consent”.  Sometimes, however, you may want your counselor to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your counselor cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.

However, state law and professional ethics require counselors to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:

• The Uniform Health Care Information Act may allow for disclosure of information to another health care provider who is serving you.
• You may give written permission to release confidential information.  If you wish to disclose to a third party, you must sign a Consent to Release Information form.
• If you reveal that you are contemplating, planning or have acted out a crime, I may be required to report this to the appropriate authorities.
• If you are a minor, I may discuss with your parents or guardians some of the information form our counseling.  If you are a minor and a victim of a crime, I may testify at an inquiry concerning the crime.
• If you reveal that a child or adult has suffered abuse or neglect, I have an obligation to report this information to the appropriate authorities.
• If information you have revealed to me is subpoenaed, disclosure may be required by law.

A number of benefits are available from participating in counseling. Counselors can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks.

Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life.

Counselors can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
• Developing skills for improving your relationships
• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
• Improving communications and listening skills
• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
• Building your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

Initially, counseling will include both you and your partner. Your counselor will help you determine if individual counseling should be a part of your treatment. Depending on the issues, you may be referred to another counselor for your individual counseling.

It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, counseling addresses the cause of the distress and/or the behavior patterns that curb progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness.  Working with your medical doctor you can determine what's best for you. In some cases a combination of medication and counseling is the right course of action.