FAQs
Many people have questions about the cost of therapy, and whether or not it can be affordable. The good news is that many plans offer out of network benefits that will cover part of the cost of treatment, and claim submission is typically a simple, online process.
We out of network for all insurance plans. Rates vary by clinician, but are comparable to the average cost of psychotherapy in DC. We offer convenient credit card (or FSA/HSA card) billing, and our patient portal makes it easy for you to access your superbills for insurance reimbursement. Parents and other family members can also have direct portal access (if given patient approval) to simplify the billing and reimbursement process.
+ How can I determine my mental health coverage?
Thanks to the Mental Health Parity Act, your health insurance is required to provide comparable coverage for both mental and physical health concerns. As long as your health insurance plan covers out of network services, it should cover a portion of your therapy. While it can be intimidating to navigate OON coverage for the first time, this is a benefit you pay for and deserve to use! The majority of our clients receive insurance reimbursements within a few weeks and with little difficulty. If you are able to use funds in a flexible spending (FSA) or health savings account (HSA), you save approximately an additional 30% by using pre-tax dollars to pay for your healthcare costs.
The easiest way to determine your benefits is to call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card and ask the following questions:
- What is my out of network coverage for CPT code 90834 (45-minute individual psychotherapy)?
- Is there an out of network deductible that I need to meet before reimbursements apply?
- How do I submit claims for reimbursement?
- What is the usual reimbursement processing time?
- Do I have a flex spending or health savings account that I can use for further savings?
If you do not have health insurance, or have decided against submitting claims to your insurance for reimbursement, please let us know via email: hello@drdawnjohnson.com. We will provide the "Good Faith Estimate" document as required by the 2020 No Surprises Act.
+ I am submitting a claim to insurance for reimbursement. How do I access the necessary documents from your practice?
“Superbills” include all of the information you need for insurance reimbusement, are automatically generated by our patient portal on the first of each month. You can access them at any time by logging into your patient portal.
+ Are there services that can help me determine my mental health benefits or assist in the reimbursement process?
Thrizer and Mentaya are two companies that help therapy patients determine benefits and submit therapy claims for reimbursement. Both charge clients a small percentage fee for their services. Our practice does not have a direct relationship with either company.
+ I am the family member of a client, and need documentation to submit for insurance reimbursement. How can I access this?
The patient can download the Statements for Insurance Reimbursement (superbills) from the patient portal and share them with you. For direct access, patients can sign a “release of information” allowing a parent or other designee their own direct portal access to billing information. The patient should speak with their therapist directly to set up this option.
Due to healthcare privacy laws, we are prohibited from sharing any information regarding a client age 18+ with outside parties unless we have a signed release of information. This includes billing and attendance information, regardless of the payor. Thank you for your understanding.
+ Do you offer biweekly, monthly or as needed therapy sessions?
No, our practice specializes in weekly psychotherapy. We have not found that less than weekly sessions support the gains our clients expect, and the model tends to lead to large caseloads and increased burnout for clinicians. While clients and clinicians may reduce frequency for a set period as part of a wrap-up process, we do not offer less than weekly therapy as a regular service.