OUR THERAPISTS are supportive of your lifestyle needs…

Consensual Non-Monogamy Affirming

Kink Affirming

LGBTQ+ Affirming

Sex Positive

Why is Couples Therapy billed on a cash/out-of-pocket basis?

Simple answer:

Insurance is not usually required to cover Couples Therapy because it doesn’t result in a medical diagnosis.

Longer Answer:

The Affordable Care Act, the Mental Health Parity and Others, and other federal laws dictate that insurance companies have to provide equitable (i.e. approximately the same level of) coverage for both physical health conditions and mental health conditions. This means they cannot exclude mental health conditions from coverage or charge higher co-pays for them.

BUT … it also means the insurance companies can put the same requirements on reimbursement for mental health conditions as they do physical health conditions. In order to have your insurance pay for therapy, they require a medical diagnosis and the need for couples therapy doesn’t have one. Said another way, having relationship troubles isn’t a “medical issue” and insurance doesn’t usually have to cover it.

In some cases, insurance might cover a limited number of Couples Therapy sessions if one of the individuals is being treated for a medical diagnosis that also impacts their marriage. Even then, it might be hard to get coverage and could involve a lot of extra paperwork.

Some plans might offer marriage counseling as an additional benefit (paid or included depending on the plan), so it’s important to read your plan documents thoroughly. Even when coverage is available, many insurance companies also have more requirements to meet. Some of the more typical examples include, but are not limited to…

• A specific list of providers to choose from

• A total “couples” session limit

• Coverage only for specific types of therapeutic treatment

• Coverage only for legally married couples

• Reaching your plan deductible before coverage can be applied

• Reimbursement only with no co-pay option

• Participation in a specific part of the plan, like a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

What are my options to get my insurance to pay for couples therapy?

Unfortunately, our practice does not accept insurance plans for couples therapy at this time and many insurance providers don’t view this kind of treatment as “medical”.

You should read your plan documents thoroughly to understand how you can submit for a reimbursement of any physical or mental health treatment you seek.

You can also contact your insurance company and specifically request information about when and how any coverage for couples/marriage counseling is provided.