what does it mean that some counselors at Change, Inc. are managed care free?
Change, Inc. has a number of counselors who are managed-care-free. This means they have chosen not to be “in-network” counselors for any insurance plans.
However, these counselors and Change, Inc. are very insurance-friendly. Should you wish to utilize your insurance benefits for counseling, we will be more than happy to provide for you the appropriate paperwork, including a description of the counseling service, date of the counseling service, the counseling session code, the counseling diagnosis code, etc. to facilitate your insurance claim. You will receive two copies of the counseling session documentation. Here is a sample of what the documentation will look like.
If you decide to go with a managed-care free counselor, it may help you to check with your insurance company prior to our first meeting to understand your outpatient counseling benefits. You will want to ask your insurance company about:
- Coverage for “outpatient counseling services.”
- The percentage of reimbursement for an “out of network counselor” including any deductible amount.
That said, here’s why we believe that not directly billing insurance companies allows for a more positive therapeutic counseling relationship in addition to improved clinical services. Being “out of network”:
- Insurance companies don’t dictate to us. Period.
- Your privacy is enhance greatly -– we won’t share your information with anyone.
- We focus on your health and strengths rather than just on what’s wrong – remember, insurance companies require that we give you a mental illness diagnosis, and this diagnosis is required to be disclosed on any subsequent insurance policies for which you may apply, including life insurance.
- There are zero billing surprises – you’ll know up front what you’re responsible for, and there are no guessing games regarding coverage, co-pays, deductibles. You’ll know from the beginning what to expect.
Payment for counselors who provide managed care free counseling is taken by cash or by credit/debit card (Visa/MasterCard/Discover/American Express).
What if I want to use my insurance? No problem! Click here!