What do you want to know about starting counseling?

Have you been thinking about starting counseling? Are you ready to start focusing on yourself, have healthy relationships, and have more confidence? Here are some of our most frequently asked questions. If you have any additional questions, give us a call or send an email.

Are you seeing clients online or in person?

While we have a lovely office suite in Suwanee, we are currently only seeing clients online. Once the risks have reduced to the point where we don’t have to wear masks, socially distance, and post a Covid-19 warning sign on our front door, we look forward to meeting you in person once again!

Do you offer free phone consults before starting counseling?

Yes, we are happy to schedule a free 20-minute phone consult with you before your intake appointment. This will let us get to know you a little bit, share information about ourselves and how we might approach your case, and answer any questions you may have.

How do I schedule an appointment?

There’s no wrong way! The easiest way is probably to self-schedule by clicking on one of the many “schedule an appointment” buttons. You’ll have access to each therapist’s schedule and can find a time that fits yours. You can also reach out to us by email at hello@empowercounseling.net or by phone 770.283.8386.

What happens after I schedule an appointment?

After your schedule your appointment, we’ll send you our intake paperwork packet. This includes important documents like the informed consent for counseling, your privacy rights and responsibilities, and our practice policies. We also send forms to get to know more about you and a form to enter your credit card information. These are all documents that you “sign” online and will have access to a copy in your client portal. Please return these documents within 24 hours and let us know if you have any questions!

What are your Rates?

Our rates range from $175-200 for a 45-50 minute session. Our fully licensed clinicians charge $200, our associates charge $175. Longer and shorter sessions may be available at an adjusted rate depending on your clinical need.

Do you have a sliding scale or reduced fee?

While we set aside a number of discounted client spots, they get filled very quickly and are often not available. We often recommend Open Path Collective for people who are unable to afford current market rates for therapy.

Do you take insurance?

We do not work directly with any insurance companies or plans. If your plan includes “out of network” (OON) benefits, you may still be able to use your insurance.

If you intend to use your OON benefits, please let us know in advance so that we can set up your chart correctly. Each month, you’ll get a “superbill” (a special receipt used for insurance) that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Here are some questions to ask your insurance company to determine what your out-of-network benefits would cover.

• Does my plan have out-of-network coverage for mental health services?
• What amount will I be reimbursed for assessments (CPT 90791) and individual therapy (CPT 90834)?
• How many sessions are included?
• What licenses are covered?
  (OON Plans typically cover fully-licensed therapists like LCSW, LPC, or LMFT. Infrequently, plans may cover associate licensure levels such as LMSW, APC, or AMFT). 
• How do I submit superbills for reimbursement?
• Does my plan include telemedicine for online counseling? Are there any restrictions or special codes required for this?

Why don’t you take insurance?

There are several reasons why therapists decide to not take insurance.  Here are a few of the top reasons:

1. Medical Necessity. Insurance only pays for “medically necessary” treatment.  This means that only people who have a diagnosed mental illness are covered. This means that some things that many people seek counseling for, such as personal growth or relationship improvement, are not covered.
2. Confidentiality. Most people assume that what’s said in counseling stays in counseling. Insurance is one of those exceptions. In addition to your diagnosis, your insurance company may also require your treatment plan and progress notes to demonstrate your progress in treatment.
3. Treatment Plan. Insurance companies have expectations about what you do in therapy, how long it lasts, and what types of interventions your therapist uses. Your therapist will be at their best if they’re able to follow a plan, path, and pace that the two of you come up with together.
4. Rates. Insurance rates are often significantly lower than private pay rates. Insurance companies negotiate these discounts with providers in exchange for referrals from their members. Therapists who specialize often are able to support their practice without insurance referrals. These therapists can often command high salaries in other settings and don’t want to limit their compensation by taking insurance.
5. Clawbacks. On top of an often heavy-handed approach to controlling therapy and lower rates, Insurance companies also are able to “claw back” money that they have paid your provider on your behalf sometimes years after you completed treatment. This can be for many reasons, including their own errors. Unfortunately, this can mean that you owe significant money to your therapist when that dust settles.

We are here to help you in starting counseling!

Good Faith Estimate

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.

• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.

• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.

• Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises