Frequently Asked Questions
Will my insurance pay for this Specialized Therapy?
This is the question that therapists get asked the most! Let’s check your insurance benefits right now to see what your insurance will pay for our specialized services.
Like most therapists in DC, we do not directly take insurance, but you may still be able to use your insurance! Most of our clients are able to use our quick and easy process for Out of network reimbursement to get 70- 90% of their therapy fees reimbursed by their insurance provider.
Use our free Out of Network Benefits Calculator to see what your insurance will cover, even before your free consultation and then once your start sessions you can submit your claims right here from our website via Reimbursify.
Excuse us, we’re stepping onto our soapbox for a sec...
For far too long insurance providers have led clients to beleive that they will only pay for therapy with in-network providers, i.e. your therapist must be in-network for insurance to cover your therapy. This isn’t always the case—especially if you have a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plan. Take a look at your insurance card and check whether it says PPO, HMO (Health Maintenance Organization), or POS (Point of Service). If it says PPO, you’re in luck, because most PPO plans actually offer Out-of-Network coverage. This means you can see any provider, even if they’re not in your insurance network, and still get reimbursed for some or all of the fees you pay to your out of network therapist.
Do you offer Reduced/ Sliding Scale Fee Options?
We never want finances to be the reason you don’t get a specialized help you need, which is why all our therapists offer a few Reduced Fee/ Sliding Scale slots and our Graduate Clinical Interns offer therapy for as low as $20 per session.
If finances are what’s holding you back, schedule a consultation for a Reduced Fee Appointment or schedule a consultation with the therapist you want to work with to see if they have a sliding scale fee slot available or email us at connect@sageandfifththerapy.com.
We will never ask for your income details, financial updates or anything like that to offer a reduced fee/ sliding scale slot, it’s all based on honor system in our practice. Some clients use the slot offered to them for 6 months, some for 2 years before they transition to full fee as when their finances change and they are able to afford it. We’re just happy you’re able to access the services you need when you need it!
As we only have a few Reduced Fee/ Sliding Scale Slots, all we ask is that as and when your finances change and you are able to afford the full fee you offer to move to full fee so we can open up the slot for someone else who might need it.
Do you work with an In-Network Therapy Partner?
Some of our providers are able to accept CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield insurance only for individual psychotherapy at our partner organization Sage Therapy Collective PLLC. If you are interested in using your CareFirst BCBS insurance for individual psychotherapy, please email us at clientservices@sagetherapycollective.com or book a consultationfor in-network services.
* EMDR and Couples Therapy are not offered at our in-network partner practice.
How do I get reimbursed by insurance? Now you can submit your request to your insurance from right here!
Now you can submit your request for Out of Network Reimbursement to your insurance right from our website via Reimbursify or you can use the Reimbursify App. Your first claim is free and subsequent claims incur a fee charged by Reimbursify of $3.99/claim.
We automatically email you your superbill every month and you can also access it by logging in to our Client Portal on the web or on the app.
Alternatively, you can also submit your reimbursement request directly with your insurance provider using your superbill. Please contact your insurance to find out about their out of network reimbursement process.
Do you provide a Good Faith Estimate for services?
Yes, we provide a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) for psychotherapy services as required by the No Surprises Act of 2021. The document will be written for the entire year and sent to you via email.
You have the right to receive a GFE document explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.
You have the right to receive a GFE for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services. You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a GFE before you schedule a service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your GFE, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your GFE document.
For questions or more information about your right to a GFE, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
