We will provide courtesy billing for other PPO plans. You are financially responsible for any unmet deductibles, copayments or coinsurance amounts, for any non-covered charges (e.g., no show & late cancellations), and for any other balances unpaid by your insurance for any reason. Payment for your portion of the charges is expected at the time of service. It is your responsibility to obtain preauthorization prior to your first appointment if required by your policy. Call your member benefits number to confirm whether preauthorization is required.

IPA is not a contracted provider for Medicare, Medicaid, or any HMO or EAP plans. Upon request your therapist will provide a Superbill that you may submit to your insurance for reimbursement. Please be aware this is a service to you and does not affect your financial obligation to IPA. Also, please be advised that the amount due at the time of service is not contingent on when, or whether, you receive insurance reimbursement.

Fee Structure

The fees for clinical services at IPA are set by each therapist and vary depending on credentials, years of experience, and other factors. Currently the fees for a standard therapy session range from $145 to $185 for masters-level therapists and up to $225 for a doctoral-level therapist.

The first one to three sessions will focus on completing a full diagnostic assessment and typically cost 10% to 15% more than standard sessions. The fee may nominally increase periodically to reflect cost of living increases and other factors. You will be notified in advance of an upcoming fee increase.

The fee covers all standard administrative tasks associated with your sessions (e.g., billing, scheduling, etc), though additional fees may be applied for other services you request or that are warranted or required for your professional care (e.g., report writing, consultation with other professionals, etc).

Good Faith Estimate

Starting January 1, 2022, new legislation went into effect that requires health care providers and facilities to inform self-pay and uninsured individuals of their right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges. The purpose of the law, known as the “No Surprises Act”, is to protect self-pay/uninsured consumers from unanticipated and expensive bills for out-of-network services.

If you are uninsured or don’t plan to use your insurance:

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) explaining how much your treatment will cost.
• You have the right to receive the GFE at least one (1) business day before your first scheduled appointment.
• You have the right to dispute the bill if your costs are $400 or more over your GFE.
• Be sure to save a copy or picture of your GFE for future reference.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call (708) 386-8800 ext. 103

The No Surprises Act (NSA) applies specifically to those individuals who do not have insurance or who do not intend to use their insurance. If IPA will bill your insurance or you plan to submit to insurance on your own, the right to receive a GFE does not apply to you. However, all psychotherapists already have an ethical obligation to provide advance notice of costs and fees for every patient.  If you are using insurance — either in network or out of network — it is long-standing IPA policy to verify your benefits and to inform you before the first session of the expected out-of-pocket cost to you for your treatment. The NSA adds to these pre-existing practices by requiring further formal disclosures of anticipated fees specifically for self-pay and uninsured persons.

If you are using insurance, keep in mind that the expected cost to you is based on information provided by your insurance which, in a small percentage of cases, may not be accurate or up to date. If you are concerned about your costs it is always good practice to call the membership benefits number on your insurance card and double check your benefits yourself. As stated in our informed consent form (“Guidelines for Clinical Services”), you are financially responsible for any charges not covered by your insurance for any reason. Please speak to your therapist or call (708) 386-8800 ext. 103 if you have any questions about your charges.

Transparency and Communication

We are committed to making mental health care accessible. This section of the website aims to provide an overview of the practice's approach to fees, insurance, and financial accessibility, emphasizing transparency and a commitment to assisting our clients in understanding and managing the financial aspects of therapy. If you have more questions about any of these matters, please feel free to reach out to one of our intake specialists who will be happy to answer these and any other questions you may have about about beginning therapy.