FAQ's
Clinical Interns: Our clinical interns are private pay and are not eligible for insurance reimbursement out of network. We can provide superbills for clients who want to submit for out-of-network reimbursement. However, most plans do not reimburse for sessions provided by unlicensed clinicians. Our interns are sliding scale, $60-$75 per session, pay what you can.
Associates: Our associate therapists are in-network with Premera, which includes Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, Lifewise, Heritage, and other Premera plans. If you have a Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) insurance card, and you’re not sure if your plan is run locally through Premera, you can call the number on the back of your insurance card or log into your insurance client portal to see if we are listed as an in-network provider. You can also use our Nirvana insurance calculator on our scheduling page to see if you are out of network.
Some BCBS plans are run locally through Regence, which we are not in-network with. This can be even more confusing because we will likely show up on BCBS lists as an in-network provider, even though we are only in-network with BCBS Premera plans–not BCBS Regence Plans. We cannot guarantee that we are in-network with your specific plan, so if insurance coverage is important to you, please confirm that your plan is indeed Premera and that your mental health benefits are run through Premera.
As an example, Providence employees have a Premera branded insurance card. However, their mental health benefits are run through Optim rather than Premera. If you have any questions about whether or not your mental health benefits are indeed Premera, please refer to your insurance client portal, the number on the back of your insurance card, or use our out-of-network insurance calculator to see if your plan is listed as an out of network result.
Our AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and owner, Brittany Steffen, is in-network with Lyra EAP, which will cover individual, couples, and sex therapy sessions. For more information on your Lyra benefits, contact your Lyra or HR representative. Most Lyra plans offer 25 free sessions per year to members.
The frequency and duration of therapy will vary depending on the individual or couple’s needs and goals for therapy. Generally, therapy sessions are typically held once a week, although some people may choose to attend sessions more or less frequently. The duration of therapy sessions is typically between 45 minutes to an hour.
The length of time that you will be in therapy will also depend on your specific needs and goals for therapy. Some people may only need a few sessions to address a specific problem or concern, while others may benefit from longer-term therapy. The length of therapy can also vary depending on the type of therapy you are receiving. For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is typically shorter-term, usually, around 12-20 sessions, while psychoanalytic therapy is typically longer-term, often lasting several years.
Therapy is a process, and progress may vary for each individual. The therapist will work with you to set goals and objectives for therapy and will monitor your progress throughout the process. The therapist will also adjust the therapy plan as needed to ensure that you are making progress and achieving your goals.
It’s also important to note that therapy is not a one-time solution, and most people will benefit from occasional “tune-up” sessions even after they have completed a course of therapy.
Overall, the frequency and duration of therapy will depend on your specific needs and goals for therapy and will be tailored to meet your individual needs. It’s important to communicate with your therapist about your needs and goals and to work together to develop a treatment plan that best suits you.
It can be difficult to explain to a therapy client why sex therapy and couples therapy may not be covered by insurance companies. However, one reason is that insurance companies categorize these types of therapy as not “medically necessary” in the same way as other types of medical treatment. Additionally, insurance companies may have specific requirements or diagnoses that must be met before they will provide coverage for these types of therapy. To add to the confusion, Premera will tell members that couples/family therapy is a covered service code–which is correct. However, if billing accurately, the most common diagnostic code for couples therapy is “Z63.0: Problems in a Relationship with Spouse or Partner,” and insurance does not consider that diagnosis a mental health issue requiring treatment.
Some therapists will simply choose an identified patient, assign a covered diagnosis, and bill insurance for couples therapy so that their clients can get coverage. This strategy is a great way to get coverage for couples therapy, but it leaves the provider vulnerable to an insurance audit. Our insurance contract requires us to assign the most accurate diagnosis possible, so if our notes don’t reflect that billing, Premera can claw back any payments related to the case in question. Because of that risk, we will not bill Premera for couples or sex therapy unless the primary diagnosis is accurate, billable, and not better described by a non-billable code, such as Relationship Issues.
If you have Premera and are beginning couples or sex therapy treatment, we will have you sign an insurance waiver acknowledging that we cannot bill insurance. For non-Premera couples and sex therapy clients, we can provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement, should your plan allow.
It’s important to note that insurance coverage is constantly changing and evolving, so it’s always a good idea to check with your insurance provider to understand what is covered under your plan and to find out if there are any out-of-pocket expenses you’ll need to pay for couples and sex therapy.
SCS does not do out of network billing, simply because it is time consuming and often unsuccessful–and insurance clients themselves are much more likely to be successfully reimbursed for out of network services than clinicians are. Instead of doing out of network billing, we offer a variety of price points ($60-$170) for private pay clients, and provide electronic superbills for out of network reimbursement on a monthly basis, by request.
We also subscribe to Nirvana’s insurance calculator, which allows out of network clients to quickly and easily estimate their out of network costs, including their deductible, coinsurance, and out of network reimbursement rate. To use our calculator, navigate to the scheduling page, and scroll down to use the calculator. To see if your Nirvana’s calculator works with your insurance plan, please review their list of included insurance providers:
https://calculator.meetnirvana.com/supported-insurers
Availability for phone or telehealth consultations is determined by the individual clinician. It is best to contact the clinician if you’d like to request a phone consultation. Some of our providers do not offer free consultations and will complete any screenings via email instead.
SCS offers sliding-scale services through our interns. Interns work on a pay-what-you-can model ranging from $60-75 per 50-minute session. Our interns train at highly qualified programs and receive frequent supervision by qualified professionals.
You do not have to provide proof of income to qualify to see clinical interns at our sliding scale rates, and can choose your price per session, within our sliding scale.
Our licensed therapists offer intake sessions at $145 per session, and are $130 per session moving forward. We can provide superbills for out of network reimbursement.
To find out what your out-of-network reimbursement for therapy will be, you will need to contact your insurance company and ask them about their out-of-network coverage. It’s important to ask your insurance company the following questions:
- What is the out-of-network reimbursement rate for therapy?
- Are there any annual limits on out-of-network reimbursement for therapy?
- Are there any requirements that need to be met before I can be reimbursed for out-of-network therapy?
- Will I need to submit claims forms or any other documentation to receive reimbursement?
- How long will it take to receive reimbursement after I submit a claim?
You can book an intake appointment with the therapist of your choice by going HERE, where you can review our clinicians’ schedules in real time. Select a provider, select a date and time, and then request the appointment—we require a card on file to hold the spot, regardless of whether or not you’ll be using your insurance for treatment. Your request will be approved, typically within a few business days, and we will follow up with intake paperwork, and a telehealth link for your first session.
To determine the availability of one of our providers, please review their schedule HERE. You may then request an appointment, which the provider will review for approval. You can also email the provider of your choice directly to discuss scheduling, or fill out our new client questionnaire if you want assistance determining who would be the best fit for you:
https://steffencouns.wpengine.com/new-clients/
Therapists use electronic health record (EHR) systems, like Simple Practice, to securely store and manage client information. Simple Practice is a cloud-based EHR software that is compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations and is designed to keep client information confidential.
Here are some ways that therapists can use Simple Practice EHR to keep client information confidential:
- Secure login: Simple Practice uses a secure login system, which requires therapists to enter a unique username and password to access client information. This helps to prevent unauthorized access to client information.
- Encryption: Simple Practice uses encryption to protect client information, both when it is stored in the system and when it is transmitted over the internet. This ensures that client information is only accessible to authorized individuals.
- Access controls: Simple Practice allows therapists to set different levels of access for different users so that only authorized individuals can view or edit client information. This helps to prevent unauthorized access to client information.
- Audit logs: Simple Practice keeps an audit log of all access to client information so that therapists can see who has accessed client information and when. This helps to ensure that client information is being handled appropriately.
- Backup and disaster recovery: Simple Practice automatically backs up client information and has a disaster recovery plan in place. This ensures that client information is protected in the event of a system failure or data loss.
Overall, Simple Practice EHR is designed to keep client information confidential and secure. Therapists can use this software to store and manage client information in a secure and compliant manner.
Many of our providers accept new clients via our client portal, where you can review their available openings in real time. If you don’t see availability with the provider of your choosing, please contact them directly to inquire about their waitlist. Some of our providers do have a waitlist, which can be anywhere from 1-4 weeks.
SCS is a remote-only practice. All services will take place via a secure telehealth system.
Therapy sessions typically last between 45 minutes to an hour. This is the standard duration for most therapy sessions. This time frame allows the therapist to have a meaningful conversation with the client, address any concerns or issues, provide support and guidance, and also allows for enough time for the therapist to make notes and document the session.
However, some therapies or sessions may be longer or shorter. For example, some therapy sessions such as family therapy or group therapy may be longer, lasting from 90 minutes to 2 hours. On the other hand, some therapies such as EMDR or some specific techniques used in therapy may require shorter sessions, around 30 minutes.
It’s important to note that the duration of therapy sessions may also depend on the therapist’s availability, the client’s schedule, and the type of therapy being provided. It’s always a good idea to check with the therapist to understand the duration of the sessions and to make sure it works with your schedule.
SCS is happy to offer low cost, sliding scale services through our clinical intern program. Interns offer 50-minute sessions on a pay what you can scale from $60-$75. Our interns offer a variety of modalities and work with a number of mental health symptoms. Most of our interns have availability for new clients, with as short of a wait time as 1-2 weeks. You can review our intern profiles HERE.
SCS has a 48-hour cancellation policy.
Confidentiality is a pillar of the therapeutic relationship. What you say in a counseling session will remain confidential except for a few limitations. A therapist will have to report safety concerns, including a client’s intent to harm themselves, intent to harm someone else, or reports of child or elder abuse. Your therapist will explain confidentiality thoroughly during your intake session.
