If you have an “out-of-network” or “non-participating provider” benefit, Dr. Prasad-Gaur can provide you with necessary statements to submit to your insurance company for either partial or full reimbursement, depending on your plan. It is best to contact your insurance company to see if this benefit is offered.
In making your decision about how you would like to pay for psychological services, it is recommended you fully understand your mental heatlh coverage benefits as well as the pros and cons of self-pay versus using health insurance. Self-pay allows you to control your type of care, choice of therapist, and assures complete privacy and confidentiality. However, for some, it can be a financial burden. Health insurance reduces out-of-pocket expenses for treatment but requires authorization for mental health services (a psychiatric "diagnosis" which qualifies the treatment as "medically necessary"). Additionally, the insurance companies require release of confidential clinical information (dates of session, treatment progress) in order to process claims and to determine whether additional visits are in their judgment medically necessary.
A few resources:
Psychology Today
Psychology Information Online
Consumer's Guide to Mental Health Services. Routledge Publications, October 2007
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