It’s time to invest in your well-being.

intake

 

150

individual

 

200

couple / family

 

250

group

 

50-75

Our pre-licensed therapists and interns can accommodate sliding scale and reduced fees.

Due to the volume of referrals we receive daily, we have only limited in-network insurance slots available. Please see Payment Options below to learn more about securing affordable care.

Payment Options

If you have a high in- or out-of-network insurance deductible and consistent therapeutic support feels beyond your reach financially, please feel free to talk with us about it. Instead of weekly sessions, we can explore creative scheduling options to help you stay focused on your goals.

All Spark Center therapists are open to negotiating an affordable out-of-pocket fee for a reasonably limited number of sessions. Monthly income balanced with present requirements for support will determine eligibility and cost.

If you find a therapist who is uniquely qualified to support you, it’s worth setting up a free consultation and discussing your options.

More Info

Generally, our pre-licensed therapists have more flexibility to accommodate reduced fees. We encourage you to explore the opportunity to work with a Spark provider who is completing training toward licensure in social work, marriage and family therapy, or clinical psychology.

Therapists-in-training are informed of the latest, most effective, empirically validated therapy approaches and motivated to introduce clients to a wide-ranging spectrum of appropriate interventions.

Working with a therapist-in-training can be a unique and valuable opportunity to receive comprehensive team support. Pre-licensed professionals receive intensive supervision, support, and input from Spark’s highly competent, licensed clinicians who will review and influence many aspects of your self-development experience.

For all of our clients, Spark’s collaborative approach means you’ll benefit from your therapist’s consultation with other experienced team members on how to provide the most effective support to you.

OUT-OF-NETWORK BENEFITS
If you have a PPO plan, you may be eligible to get 50-80% reimbursement of the allowable cost of sessions after your deductible is met.
Learn More

WELLNESS STIPEND
Some companies have monthly stipends as part of employee wellness initiatives that you can spend on mental health support.

FSA / HSA
Flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA) provide pre-tax income that can be used to pay for sessions.

Out-of-Network Benefits

Unlike most out-of-network providers, WE WILL VERIFY YOUR COVERAGE AND FILE CLAIMS ON YOUR BEHALF.

We want you to have the most important information you need UP FRONT to help you make reasonable financial decisions about your care. We’ll work closely with you to help you understand the confusing cost structure of therapy, save you time and effort, and minimize stress.

Here’s a snapshot of our out-of-network insurance process to help you answer the following important questions:

What is my deductible? How much will I pay for services?

Before your first session, we’ll provide a complimentary insurance verification to determine your mental health services coverage, so you clearly understand your options and obligations.

Who submits claims? How will I be reimbursed?

We’ll process your payment for the full/negotiated fee at the time of service and submit claims directly to your insurance carrier on your behalf following each appointment. Without any effort on your part, you’ll receive a reimbursement check from your insurance carrier AFTER you meet your annual deductible.

Who will manage the claims process?

Our client services team will help you navigate ALL insurance-related concerns, so you can stay focused on what matters: YOU. The relationships we’ve developed with our insurance representatives make it much easier for us to navigate any challenges that arise.

Insurance questions inevitably will come up while you’re engaged in therapy, and we’ll collaborate with you to support your claims submission process and provide you with updates promptly upon request. Feel free to contact us anytime at (916) 717-9379 or connect@sparkcenter.com for help!

More About Insurance

Finding a therapist who best fits your unique needs is essential to your mental health. Research indicates that one of the biggest indicators of therapeutic success is the strength of the relationship clients develop with their therapists.

Focusing on finding only someone who takes your insurance might not be worth sacrificing your opportunity for expert care, connection, and growth.

Whether your insurance is in- or out-of-network, we’re here to walk you through the process of understanding your benefits, so you can focus on your healing and growth. We want you to get the most out of the investment you’re making in your mental health by handling the details for you!

Insurance Challenges

We get it: It’s frustrating when you think you’ve found the right therapist and then discover they don’t take your insurance. Understanding the factors that influence a therapist’s decision to not accept insurance also may be important to your well-being, and we hope you take time to consider these points as you go about your research.

Quality of Care

Seeing fewer clients and accepting out-of-pocket fees encourages more scheduling flexibility, increased responsiveness, opportunities to develop new interventions, workshops, groups, and other therapeutic activities for clients, and more time to consult with colleagues to deliver the highest quality care.

Out-of-network providers are able to specialize more, meaning you are more likely to find a therapist who has focused experience, education, and training to address your specific issues vs. a generalist. They have greater freedom to use innovative approaches and interventions that are based on data from current research.

Diagnostic Labels

Insurance companies only cover what is “medically necessary.” So, paying for therapy with insurance likely entails placing a pre-existing condition permanently on your health records. Often, the reasons for starting therapy (e.g., personal growth, relationship issues, self-esteem, etc.) are not diagnosable disorders. Nevertheless, insurance will require one to cover services. For example, if you’re struggling with anxiety because you lost your job, your therapist would have to diagnose you with a mental health disorder in order for your sessions to be covered.

Sessions & Privacy Limitations

Many insurance carriers cap the frequency and number of sessions or total amount they will pay for therapy. They have the right to audit your diagnosis, treatment plan, and progress notes to determine medical necessity and may demand this information directly from your therapist. They also may revoke your coverage if they disagree with your treatment plan.

Low Reimbursement Rates

Insurance companies reimburse therapists at rates unreasonably below (and often less than 50% of) typical session fees, making them unaffordable to accept given business expenses and investment in specialized education and training. Many insurance carriers have outdated reimbursement rates, in spite of the fact that the costs of running a private practice are increasing. Insurance companies also aren’t progressive in their treatment of mental health vs. physical health. On average, therapists are reimbursed 20% less than primary care physicians to treat the exact same mental health conditions, even though therapists often are more specifically educated and trained to do so.

Increased Workload

It’s remarkably difficult to get on insurance panels—therapists often encounter long waitlists, sometimes spanning several months if not years. Once accepted by a panel, therapists spend an inordinate amount of time on paperwork, particularly when there are payment delays. Therapists typically have to resolve these issues without any billing or administrative support, and the process to verify benefits, submit/resubmit claims, resolve unpaid balances, and provide diagnostic explanations, treatment plans, and status updates can be convoluted, inconvenient, and requires time and energy that could be better spent supporting clients.

Payment Delays

Many carriers take several weeks to months to pay claims, or they reimburse on an unpredictable schedule, which adversely affects the cash flow for small businesses and the ability to reliably compensate staff.

Alternatives
If you’re interested in starting therapy, hopefully you won’t walk away because of insurance challenges. Some PPO (not HMO) insurance plans will cover 50-80% of the cost for out-of-network mental health services, and we do what other private practices generally DON’T do: We file claims on your behalf!

Please remember that Spark Center therapists do offer reduced fees, meaning they will work with you to set an affordable price for a reasonably limited number of sessions. If you identify a therapist who is uniquely qualified to support you, it’s worth setting up a free consultation and discussing your options.

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