Insurance & Fees

Insurance

  • I am in-network with Aetna insurance. 
  • If your insurance is not listed here, please read the next section ("Reimbursement") to see how psychological services can be covered through your insurance (e.g., United Healthcare, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, etc.)

Reimbursement

Good news! -- I am an out-of-network provider which means that your insurance is accepted based on your out-of-network benefits.
  • With out-of-network benefits, you can receive substantial reimbursement for psychotherapy services depending on your insurance coverage AND after the annual deductible is met (check your insurance card for "OON deductible")
  • Patients are responsible for the full fee of the session at the time of their appointment. We provide you with all the necessary documentation for your payment will turn into an "out-of-network" reimbursement for you ($$).
  • We are more than happy to offer assistance with the reimbursement process; however, please consider options A or B so we can further assist.
  • Most private health insurance plans provide some level of out-of-network reimbursement. If you see the terms “POS”, “PPO” or “out-of-network” on your insurance card then you are likely eligible. If you see “HMO”, “Medicare” or “Medicaid” then you probably do not. Check with your insurance company or HR representative to be sure.

Option A: "I want someone else to help me" (Recommended)


  • I work with Thrizer, a company that helps patients explore their out-of-network benefits with their insurance companies & submit claims on their behalf so they can get their $$ back! You can check with Thrizer first (they are willing to do this for free) before you commit to therapy.

Option B: "I want to do it on my own"


  • It will be your responsibility to contact your insurance to discuss out-of-network provider benefits and mental health coverage. They do not share any information about your policy with practitioners.
  • With this method, you have to send out your therapy "superbill" receipts to your insurance company to receive reimbursement.

Questions to ask your insurance company:
        • Do I need a referral from my primary care physician, and/or need prior authorization from my insurance company?
        • What company covers my mental health benefits? (Sometimes insurance companies carve out mental health treatment to other entities to manage mental/behavioral health treatment)
        • Do I have teletherapy benefits and if yes, what are they? What codes are necessary to submit to the insurance? Are there limits?
            • Billing procedure codes that are typically used for mental health services include 90791 (initial evaluation), 90834 (individual therapy, 45-minutes), 90837 (individual therapy, 60-minutes), and 90847 (family therapy session, 26+ minutes)
        • What, if any, are my co-payments or co-insurance?
        • Do I have a deductible? If yes, how much of my deductible has been met to date?
        • Does my policy have an out-of-pocket maximum?

If my provider is not in my insurance network:
        • What percentage of my bill will be paid by the insurance company?
        • Is there an out-of-network deductible that must be met? If yes, what is it?
        • Is the percentage of my bill paid by the insurance company based on usual, customary, and reasonable (UCR) schedules or on the actual charges?​
        • Does my policy have an out-of-pocket maximum?

HELPFUL TIP: It is a good idea to note the date of your call and the name of the person you spoke with. Be sure to obtain information about your deductible, the rate of reimbursement, and the number of sessions for which you could be reimbursed.
Click here for a worksheet for you to review while talking to your insurance company if this is too much text to look over!

psychotherapy Fees for Dr. Lee

If you are actively searching for a therapist, you will probably have a 10% chance of finding out what the therapist is charging without contacting them. We strongly believe in transparency, so here we go - here are the fees that I charge for those who are not planning to pay by insurance.
  • Initial Consultation - 1 FREE, 15-minutes
  • Initial Intake Evaluation - $325, ~60 to 90-minutes
  • Individual Therapy - $250, 50-minutes

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:
  • Individual psychotherapy in NYC averages anywhere from $250-$300 per session. These numbers are expected to rise given the high demand for mental health services.
  • You can get your $ back - see above in the "reimbursement" section.
  • I understand that costs may be prohibitive, if so, please consider working with mental health trainees that I directly supervise. For more information, click here.

Payment

  • Payment is expected at the time of service.

  • Acceptable forms of payment include:
      • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
      • Health Savings Account (HSA)
      • Major debit and credit cards.

Cancellation/No-Show Policy

  • The practice maintains a 24-hour cancellation policy.
  • It is occasionally necessary to cancel an appointment. With more than 24 hours notice, I will make an attempt to accommodate your schedule to the best of my ability.
  • For the first occurrence of either a late cancellation (cancellation within 24 hours) or a no-show (failure to arrive at session within the first 15-minutes AND no outreach), the fee will be waived as a courtesy.
      • Patients will be charged for a full session for subsequent no-shows.
      • Patients will be charged for a full session for subsequent late cancellations; however, with late cancellations, there is an option to reschedule the appointment within the same week to avoid a full session charge. There is no guarantee that appointments can be rescheduled so it is recommended to give notice ASAP!

  • Please be aware that “late cancellations" and "no show” sessions cannot be submitted to insurance for reimbursement.

Lateness Policy

  • Please ensure that you are logged in and your WIFI is working at the time of your appointment. Your scheduled session is a time that is reserved specifically for you. Most of the time, appointments are scheduled back to back which means that sessions need to start and end promptly. You will be charged the full session fee regardless of whether or not you log in to your appointment on time (based on the no-show policy listed above).