Seattle Therapist, Dr. Sean Hatt, Q & A

Question: Do you take insurance?

Answer: I am a Preferred Provider with Premera Blue Cross, LifeWise, and First Choice insurance networks.

If your health insurance plan includes out-of-network coverage, you should be able to get partial reimbursement for psychotherapy with me even if you don’t have Premera Blue Cross, LifeWise or First Choice insurance. The amount of reimbursement totally depends upon your insurance carrier and your particular plan. I also accept credit cards, as well as personal checks and cash.

Question: Do you bill my insurance company for me?

Answer: Most of the time, I do. Many Seattle therapists do not. I consider this a service for my clients. In general, you are responsible for paying me at the time of service for whatever is your responsibility according to your insurance plan. Each week, I will electronically file claims on your behalf to your insurance company. They will either pay me if I am “in-network” or reimburse you whatever you are owed based upon your deductibles, co-pay amounts and reimbursement rates if I am “out of network.”

Question: Can you help me figure all of this out if I bring in my insurance information?

Answer: Yes! Of course! I will be happy to help you navigate these issues. With some basic information, I can call your insurance company to assess your level of coverage and find out whether or not our work together will be eligible for reimbursement.

Question: What if I can’t afford therapy at all without my insurance?

Answer: I completely understand the difficulty this creates from a financial standpoint. That’s why I take on the added financial burden and risk of accepting credit cards–so my clients can invest in themselves without having to pay cash all at once.

Question: Does this apply to Couple’s Therapy and Cancer Groups too?

Answer: It may. Some insurance companies will reimburse for couple’s therapy if it is medically necessary to address the diagnosis in the subscriber. This will have to be determined on a case by case basis. As a general rule of thumb, insurance does not pay for couple’s therapy without that medical necessity.

As for Cancer Groups, again, it depends upon the insurance. Many insurance companies will pay for group therapy. In retreat settings, this means that insurance companies may reimburse for one session per day, which can help to offset the cost of the whole experience.