Cost, insurance & policies
Therapy cost and insurance, all in one place.
Fees, out-of-network insurance, HSA and FSA, the Good Faith Estimate, and our policies, laid out plainly so you can decide with clear eyes. No fine print, no surprises.
Rated 4.9/5 across 90+ Google reviews · Doctoral-level psychologists · Since 2018
Fees
How much does therapy cost?
At Coastal Therapy Group, individual therapy is $230 to $300 per session and couples or family therapy is $270 to $350. We are a private-pay practice, and every relationship begins with a free 15-minute consultation.
Sliding scale: we hold a limited number of reduced-fee spots for clients who could not otherwise afford our full fee. Availability changes, so the best step is to ask on your free consultation. Psychological testing is priced separately on the testing page.
Insurance & superbills
Do you take insurance?
We are an out-of-network, private-pay practice, so we do not bill insurance directly. If your PPO plan has out-of-network benefits, we give you a monthly superbill to submit for possible partial reimbursement. Here is exactly how that works.
- 01
Check your out-of-network benefits
Call the member number on the back of your insurance card and ask a few specific questions, so you know what to expect before you begin.
- 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 this year?
- Once the deductible is met, what percentage of the session fee do you reimburse?
- Is there a limit on the number of sessions or the total amount reimbursed per year?
- How do I submit a superbill, and is there a claim deadline?
- 02
Pay at the time of service
You pay your session fee directly, usually with a card we keep securely on file and charge after each session.
- 03
We send you a monthly superbill
A superbill is an itemized receipt with the codes your insurer needs. We generate one for you every month, with no chasing required.
- 04
Submit it for reimbursement
Send the superbill to your insurer through their app, member portal, or by mail. If you have out-of-network benefits, they reimburse you directly for their share.
An honest word on reimbursement: what your plan pays depends entirely on your plan. Many PPO plans reimburse a portion of each session once you have met your out-of-network deductible, often cited somewhere between 40% and 80%. We cannot promise or predict what yours will pay, which is why step one is calling to ask. What we can promise is an accurate superbill every month, and help understanding it.
Our care coordinator, Kari, will match you with the right psychologist and answer your cost and insurance questions before you commit.
Why private pay
Why we work outside insurance.
Staying out-of-network is a deliberate choice, and it is about the quality of your care. It keeps your privacy intact and puts the decisions about your treatment where they belong: with you and your psychologist.
Your privacy stays yours
Billing insurance requires giving you a mental health diagnosis and entering it into your permanent medical record. Private pay means no diagnosis is required, and what happens in therapy stays between you and your psychologist.
Your treatment is yours to direct
Insurers can require a diagnosis to justify care, cap how many sessions they cover, and dictate the type of therapy allowed. Outside that system, decisions about your care are made by you and your psychologist, not a reviewer who has never met you.
No arbitrary session limits
Depth work takes the time it takes. Without an insurance company counting sessions, you and your psychologist decide together how long to work and when you are ready to finish.
You choose your clinician
You are not limited to an in-network list. You choose the doctoral-level psychologist who is the right fit for you, by specialty, approach, and availability.
We will be straight with you: private pay can cost more out of pocket than an in-network copay, and reimbursement is never guaranteed. That said, with today's high-deductible plans, many people are already paying the full contracted rate for in-network care until their deductible is met, so the real gap is often smaller than it first looks, and sometimes there is no gap at all. For many people the tradeoff is worth it: more privacy, more continuity, and a psychologist chosen for fit rather than network status. On your free consultation, we are glad to talk it through honestly.
HSA & FSA
Can I use my HSA or FSA?
Yes. Therapy and psychological assessment are usually eligible expenses for a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Because those accounts use pre-tax dollars, paying this way can meaningfully lower the real cost of care.
We accept HSA and FSA cards alongside all major credit cards, cash, and check. If you are unsure whether your plan treats a specific service as eligible, check with your account administrator. A superbill can also serve as documentation for these accounts if they ask for it.
Good Faith Estimate
What is a Good Faith Estimate?
Under the federal No Surprises Act, if you do not use insurance you have the right to a Good Faith Estimate: a written estimate of what your care will cost, given before you begin.
- You have the right to a Good Faith Estimate of the total expected cost of any non-emergency services.
- You can request one in writing before you schedule, and we provide it at least one business day before your first appointment.
- If your final bill is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute it.
- Keep a copy of your estimate for your records.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit cms.gov/nosurprises.
Policies
Our policies, in plain language.
Cancellations
We ask for at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule a session. Because your appointment time is reserved just for you, cancellations with less than 24 hours' notice, and missed sessions, are billed the full session fee. Insurance does not reimburse missed-session fees.
Confidentiality and its limits
What you share in therapy is confidential and protected by law. There are a few narrow exceptions every psychologist is legally required to act on: an imminent risk of serious harm to you or someone else, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, elder, or dependent adult, or a court order to release records. Your psychologist will walk through these with you at the start of care.
In a crisis
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, you do not have to wait for an appointment. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Frequently asked
Common questions about cost and insurance.
01 How much does therapy cost at Coastal Therapy Group?
Individual therapy sessions are $230 to $300 each, depending on the clinician. Couples and family sessions are $270 to $350, and group therapy runs $60 to $125 per session. Every relationship starts with a free 15-minute phone consultation.
02 Do you take insurance?
Coastal Therapy Group is a private-pay practice and is out-of-network with all insurance plans, so we do not bill insurance directly. If your PPO plan has out-of-network benefits, we provide a monthly superbill you can submit for possible partial reimbursement, and we are glad to help you understand how your benefits work.
03 Does insurance cover therapy?
Whether therapy is covered by insurance depends on your specific plan. Most PPO plans include out-of-network mental health benefits, which means they reimburse you for part of each session after your deductible, even though we are not in their network. Plans without out-of-network coverage, including most HMO and EPO plans, usually will not reimburse. The surest way to know is to call your insurer and ask about your out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits before you start.
04 What is a superbill?
A superbill is an itemized receipt that lists the services you received and the billing codes your insurer needs. You submit it to your insurance company, and if you have out-of-network benefits they reimburse you directly for their share. We generate a superbill for you automatically every month.
05 How much will my insurance reimburse?
It depends entirely on your specific plan. Many PPO plans reimburse a portion of each session once you have met your out-of-network deductible, commonly cited somewhere between 40% and 80%. We cannot promise or predict what your plan will pay, so we recommend calling your insurer to ask before you start.
06 Can I use my HSA or FSA for therapy?
Yes. Therapy and psychological testing are usually eligible expenses for a Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account. Because those accounts use pre-tax dollars, paying this way often lowers the real cost of care. We accept HSA and FSA cards along with all major credit cards, cash, and check.
07 Is the free 15-minute consultation really free?
Yes, completely. It is a short phone call with our care coordinator to hear what you are looking for, answer your questions about cost and fit, and match you with the right psychologist. There is no charge and no obligation to book.
08 Do you offer a sliding scale?
We hold a limited number of reduced-fee spots for clients who could not otherwise afford our full fee. Availability changes, so the best step is to ask on your free consultation. If we are full, we will gladly refer you to other trusted therapists in the area.
09 What is your cancellation policy?
We ask for at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule. Because your session time is reserved just for you, cancellations with less than 24 hours' notice and missed appointments are billed the full session fee, which insurance does not reimburse.
Ready when you are
Still have cost questions?
The honest answer to most cost and insurance questions is "it depends on your plan," and the fastest way to real answers is a short, no-pressure call. Our care coordinator will match you with the right psychologist and walk through fees and benefits before you commit.
4.9/5 across 90+ Google reviews · Doctoral-level psychologists · Carlsbad · Encinitas · Vista