Clear numbers, no surprises.
Therapy is a real investment, and you deserve to know what it costs before you sit down. Here is everything, including the parts insurance companies tend to make confusing.
Session fees
| 15-minute consultationA phone or video call to see whether this is a fit. No charge, no paperwork. | Free |
| Couples session · 55 minThe standard couples session, weekly at first. | $[—] |
| Individual session · 55 minIndividual therapy, relationally focused. | $[—] |
| Family session · 55 minTwo or more family members, including adolescents 13+. | $[—] |
| Extended session · 80 minFor repair work after a betrayal, or couples who want deeper sessions less often. | $[—] |
Payment is due at the time of session, by card on file, HSA, or FSA. Fees are reviewed each January, and current clients get notice well ahead of any change.
Three ways to pay
1. In-network through Headway
Annalis is in network with these plans through Headway, which handles the billing: you pay only your copay or coinsurance.
- [Aetna]
- [Cigna]
- [Optum / UnitedHealthcare / Oxford]
- [Empire BCBS / Anthem]
2. Out of network with a superbill
Pay the session fee, receive a monthly superbill, and submit it to your plan for reimbursement. Many PPO plans reimburse a significant share once the out-of-network deductible is met.
3. Private pay
No diagnosis in your record, no insurance company deciding how many sessions you get, and full privacy. This is what many couples choose.
The honest truth about insurance and couples therapy
Health insurance pays for medically necessary treatment of a diagnosed condition. That framework fits individual therapy reasonably well. It fits couples therapy badly, because a relationship in trouble is not a diagnosis in one person's chart.
In practice this means one of three things. Your plan covers family psychotherapy as part of one partner's treatment, in which case that partner is diagnosed and the diagnosis lives in their medical record. Or your plan declines to cover relationship work, and you use a superbill or private pay. Or you use the in-network option through Headway for individual work and pay privately for couples sessions.
None of this is a reason to avoid therapy. It is a reason to ask precise questions before you start, and Annalis will help you ask them.
Fees and insurance, answered
Why is couples therapy often not covered by insurance?
Insurance pays for the treatment of a diagnosed mental health condition in one person. A struggling relationship is not, by itself, a diagnosis. When couples work is covered, it is usually billed as family psychotherapy as part of one partner’s treatment, which means that partner carries a diagnosis in their medical record. Some couples prefer private pay precisely to avoid that.
What is a superbill?
A superbill is an itemized receipt with the codes your insurance company needs. You pay the full fee at the time of the session, submit the superbill to your plan, and your insurer reimburses you directly at whatever out-of-network rate your plan allows, often 40 to 80 percent after a deductible.
How do I find out what my plan actually covers?
Call the member services number on your insurance card and ask four things: do I have out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits, what is my out-of-network deductible and how much of it have I met, what percentage do you reimburse for CPT code 90847 (family or couples psychotherapy) and 90837 (individual, 60 minutes), and is preauthorization required. Write down the answers and the reference number for the call.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
[Limited sliding-scale spots: yes / no] A limited number of reduced-fee spots is typical in private practice. Ask on the consultation call, and if nothing is open she will point you toward good low-fee options in New York and Florida.
What is your cancellation policy?
Sessions cancelled with at least 24 hours’ notice are not charged. Later cancellations and missed sessions are charged the full fee, since the time was held for you and insurance does not reimburse missed appointments. Genuine emergencies are handled like emergencies.
How do I pay?
A card is kept securely on file in the client portal and charged after each session. HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
What is a Good Faith Estimate?
Under the federal No Surprises Act, clients who are not using insurance have the right to a written estimate of what their care will cost. You will receive one before starting, and you can read more on the Good Faith Estimate page.
Clients who are uninsured or not using insurance are entitled to a Good Faith Estimate of expected costs under the No Surprises Act. Read the details here.
Ready when you are.
Start with a free 15-minute call. No pressure and no paperwork. It’s just a chance to see if we’re a good fit.
In person in New York City · Online across New York & Florida · English y español