Tennessee Mental Wellness is a private pay therapy practice, and as such does not work directly with insurance. However, many insurance policies have plans for reimbursement for “Out of Network” coverage. Check with your insurance to see if / and how much “Out of Network” mental health counseling they cover. If this is an option for you, you will pay the full session fee, then we will provide you with a Superbill (receipt) which you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement. Our clients who have this option let us know that it tends to be a seamless process.
Three Reasons We Don’t Take Insurance
Our mission is to help you grow and change in a safe environment where your confidentiality and goals for growth are protected. Counseling can be a vulnerable experience, and aspects of working with insurance companies may undermine the safe environment we fiercely seek to protect. These are the reasons why we do not accept insurance:
Reason #1: It’s Not Confidential
If we were to work with insurance companies, we would be required to disclose information to a third-party insurance or technology company (for the Electronic Medical Records), and this creates increased risk of your information being compromised. Additionally, if you ever need a federal background check, want to be a pilot, or for a variety of other reasons, a diagnosis can be disclosed through your insurance company. We want you to have the most confidential counseling!
Reason #2: You Have to Be Diagnosed
In order to have insurance cover counseling, we have to diagnose you. Even if it’s not appropriate, there has to be a diagnosis. For example, if someone seeks counseling for help adjusting to a new life event, or for help creating and maintaining a healthier lifestyle, they would need a diagnosis for it to be covered by insurance. The diagnosis would remain on your permanent medical record. We, along with many therapist colleagues, feel everyone should have access to counseling, not just those who qualify for a diagnosis. We want you to get help without having to have a diagnosis!
Reason #3: They Decide Your Treatment
Insurance companies decide treatment. They determine the number of sessions and the frequency. We believe this should be a collaborative decision between the you and your therapist. Sometimes you need shorter sessions or longer ones. Maybe you need them twice per week or once per month. Our clients enjoy the freedom to choose what treatment is best along with their therapist. We want you to get the best quality of counseling treatment!