Whew — we made it, y’all! 2022 is here, and we’re all hoping it brings better things for everyone. The past couple of years have been rough and called on us to be in constant adjustment mode.

One of the ways I tried to make things a little better for all was to start taking insurance a year ago. I’ve always used a sliding scale to offer lower fees, even before I became an in-network provider with several insurers. But I was unprepared for the result — so many new clients that it became challenging for existing clients to squeeze a session in without a month-long wait.
So I adjusted again — instituted some new policies and scheduling protocols — opening up more space, finally, for all of my existing and a few new clients to be seen in a timely way.

Now that 2022 has begun, I am further adjusting by slowly becoming out-of-network with insurers. The process to de-contract with insurers is slow and lengthy (as is everything with insurance), so it will take several months before I am only seeing clients who are self-pay.

At this time, the insurance that I am discontinuing with is Blue Cross Blue Shield. All clients who are insured by BCBS have plenty of time to talk with me about their options, which include self-pay at my full fee or at sliding scale, as well as referrals to other therapists. As we move through the year, clients who are using Aetna, Optum/United, and Ambetter will be hearing from me about when they can anticipate needing to select from those options.

Also, every client is being asked to read and, if in agreement, sign an updated version of the practice policies. There is an additional piece now, thanks to the Federal No Surprises Act — at first, you’ll just be given a vague document that describes the upcoming Good Faith Estimate (GFE). Until we’re informed differently by the government, only my self-pay clients will be given an individualized GFE, a document that I will create specifically for you and your individual situation. Unless you’re using insurance, you can look for a GFE in your inbox within the next few weeks.

I know that’s a lot of info! Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns. I’ll do my best to contiue protecting your professional therapeutic relationship with me while honoring the legal requirements of Federal and state laws.

2022 — Let’s do this!
(and btw — all the pics you see in my blogposts were taken by me, in & around my world, so YES, I’ve been learning all about snow!)