Payment Options
The Center accepts cash, checks, or credit/debit cards (Mastercard and Visa) as payment. The Center does offer limited sliding scale appointments for those who are unable to pay regular rates. We currently do not accept health insurance directly, but we will certainly supply receipts for service for partial reimbursement from your insurance company. (See more information on insurance below.)
Rates
Therapists’ regular rates range depending on who you see, what space is available, and when you come in. We also have limited sliding scale availabilities for clients who want therapy but are on a tighter budget. For our psychiatrist, the hour-long initial medical consultations (and full psychiatric evaluation) are $350, and subsequent medication management sessions with her are $175. Sliding scale options are available for therapy, but not for psychiatry. Call 323.369.0755 or email center@psychologyofwomen.com for more details about pricing.
Why the Center does not accept health insurance as direct payment
Because it erodes your right to privacy. If we were to accept insurance we would have to give you a “mental disorder diagnosis” that would need to be reported to the health insurance company. Some of these diagnoses can cause it to be difficult for you to obtain health insurance in the future. We would then have to write a report to the health insurance company saying you are still sick, and getting a bit better, but not too much better because then the health insurance company will claim that therapy is no longer necessary. It can be as if someone from the health insurance company is in the room with us deciding if we should continue to work together. When we send in that report with the mental disorder diagnosis, there can be up to 14 people reading, touching, or hearing about the report before anyone is reimbursed. We would rather keep our work together private.
Out-of-network providers & reimbursement from your health insurance company
Although we do not work directly with insurance companies, you may certainly make that choice for yourself! If you have a PPO health insurance plan that covers “Out-of-Network Providers”, you may be able to be reimbursed between 30-80% of your costs at the Center. Please consult with your individual health insurance company first to make sure, and we will be happy to provide you with receipts for service. In addition, your therapy sessions may be tax deductible as a medical expense. Please contact your tax adviser to see if you qualify so we can prepare a receipt for services rendered.
