Fees & Policies

Fees Information

We understand that therapy is costly in time, money and energy. Therapy is truly an investment in yourself and your life, and we respect that you need as much information as possible to make an informed decision.  Please carefully read these policies, and do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.

While we do not bill insurance companies directly (see “Why We Don’t Accept Insurance as Payment For Our Services”, below), at your request your therapist can provide a statement of services for you to submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. Many of our clients do this, and are reimbursed for part or all of their fee; please check with your insurance company. When you call your insurance company, ask specifically about your “out-of-network provider benefits”; remember to get the name and extension of the person with whom you speak. Your insurance company should readily provide you with the information you need since you are their customer.

How To Ask Your Insurance Company About Your Coverage for Psychotherapy

Session fees are for 50-minute sessions; Laurel Fay’s fee is $215 and each associate’s fee is $200. Depending on the nature of your situation, your therapist may recommend longer sessions – typically 75, 90, or 120 minutes – and longer sessions are pro-rated based on these base rates.

• Laurel Fay, M.S., LCMFT – $215 (50 minutes)
• Kate Ly, M.S., LGPC $200 (50 minutes)
• Emma Levin, M.S., LCMFT $200 (50 minutes)
• Haley Clark, M.S., LCMFT – $180 (50 minutes)
• Sessions longer than 50 minutes will be pro-rated

Insurance Policy

Why We Don’t Accept Insurance As Payment For Our Services

I too have a health insurance plan that I use for some of my medical needs.  However, I don’t accept insurance in my practice for several reasons; I want you to understand why so that you can make an informed choice about whether or not it is best for you to use your insurance to pay for your therapy.

Using your insurance means:

• 1. I would have to give you a Mental Disorder Diagnosis (like Major Depressive Disorder or Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder for example).
  2. Every few weeks, I would have to write a report that shows what progress, if any, you are making with that mental disorder.
  3. Then, someone at the insurance company who does not know us will decide if they will continue to pay for us to work together.  It is as if they are listening in on your therapy session.
  4. The exact number is unclear, but I have been told that up to 14 different people look at that report with your Mental Disorder Diagnosis before making a payment on the account.
  5. This compromises your privacy.  In my practice, your files are locked away and no one is able to see them except me unless, at some point, you request that I share them with someone else (e.g. your physician etc.).

Make an Informed Decision:

• Above are some of the reasons I do not accept insurance as payment for services. If you want to keep your issues private and the paper trail to a minimum, using your insurance will not afford you the level of privacy you desire.
• Knowing what is required of you and your therapist when using your insurance plan to pay for sessions is the only way to make an informed decision.
• Call your insurance company if you have further questions.
• You may be concerned about therapy becoming very expensive if you pay on your own. However, generally people experience significant improvement fairly quickly—within 8-20 sessions.
• If using your insurance is the right decision for you, they can provide you with a list of providers in your area that accept your plan. Simply call the number for mental health services on the back of the card for this list of providers.

Cancellation Policy

We ask that you please notify Laurel Fay & Associates LLC , either by phone call or email, at least 24 hours in advance of a missed session. If no 24 hour notification is given, the full session fee will be charged.