Short answer: No, Bluestem Psych is an out-of-network provider. You can download what is called a “superbill” every month and submit that to your insurance company for out-of-network reimbursement benefits.

Long answer: Bluestem Psych has opted to not join insurance panels for a number of reasons. Firstly, insurance panels have recently increased their audits of client files. That means insurance companies have been requesting to review client files to determine whether they believe the services provided were necessary. Insurance companies can then refuse to pay for sessions if they deem the services were not needed. Insurance can also dictate what types of therapy they will reimburse, how many sessions you can attend, and what diagnoses they will accept. Sometimes their decisions do not align with clinical goals and treatment. Additionally, an increasing number of behavioral health clinicians have stopped partnering with insurance as insurance companies have denied requests to increase their reimbursement rate to meet inflation. This means that clinicians that take insurance are often being paid less than before, when accounting for inflation.

Every month, you will be able to download a “superbill” from your electronic health record account. A superbill is basically an itemized receipt - it lists the date, session type, location (in office vs telehealth), cost, CPT code(s) and diagnostic codes. CPT codes are medical codes that say what type of services you received. Every month, you can send in your superbill and receive reimbursement from your insurance provider, which will vary depending on your out-of-network benefits.

It is recommended that you research and learn about your specific out-of-network behavioral health benefits prior to attending your first session. Some insurance companies require pre-authorization for services, and most plans will not pay for out-of-network services unless your deductible is met. Additionally, you may want to call and make sure the specific following CPT codes will be reimbursed. The most commonly used CPT codes are:

Intake (60 min): 90791

Therapy session (50 min): 90834

Therapy session (30 min): 90832

Parent check-in session (50 min): 90846

The No Surprises Act is a federal law that is designed to ensure that individuals are not left with unexpected medical bills. Per the No Surprises Act, healthcare providers must give clients a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) prior to the client receiving services. A GFE is an estimate of the total cost of medical services that you will pay, were you to self-pay for services. For example, if you were going to self-pay for lab work, you would receive a GFE outlining the expected cost prior to completing the lab work. Under the No Surprises Act, if the total cost of services ends up being $400 or more over the GFE expected amount, you can dispute the bill.

In the case of therapy, services are ongoing (rather than a one-time appointment or procedure). Therefore, Bluestem Psych’s GFE for therapy services provides an estimate of the expected total cost for a year of therapy.

GFEs only apply for clients who do not plan to submit superbills for out-of-network benefits. If you will be submitting superbills for reimbursement, you will not receive a GFE. GFEs will be sent via the electronic health records system.

As long as you call or message over 24 hours in advance of a session, there is no fee. If it is within 24 hours, the full fee will still be charged. The fee can be waived once every 6 months.

If paying by credit card, the card must be on file prior to your first session. You will be automatically billed the same day as your session (specifically, the autopay system will process payment overnight after your appointment).

If paying by check or in cash, the check or cash must be brought to the beginning of each session.

Yes! Bluestem Psych has some reduced fee spots available. Pricing is based on income and a copy of a W2 or paycheck is required to verify need. Please click here to open a document with the pricing for reduced fee spots.

Hourly rates were determined by looking at typical rates for psychologists in private practice in the Austin area.

Yes! Please reach out to schedule a 15 minute consult if you would like to chat before scheduling an intake. You can schedule a consult through the online scheduling portal, by reaching out via the contact page, emailing hello@bluestempsych.com, or calling (512) 595-0225.

In the first session, we will first review the forms you completed online to orient you to the therapy process. The majority of this first session will be spent gathering information about current concerns (i.e., why you are seeking services at this time) and historical information (including medical health history, school history, and so on). We will also discuss therapy goals and you will have the opportunity to ask questions about therapy.

If you are a parent and seeking services for your child, this first session will be a parent-only intake. The intake can be completed with one or both parents present. At the end of the session, if you feel it is a good fit for your child, we will review how involved you can expect to be in the process, the type of therapy services that would be most helpful, and how to introduce the idea of therapy to your child.

You do not need to prepare anything for this session, aside from completing the forms sent to you through the electronic health record system.

Yes, please make sure all forms are completed by the night prior to your intake session. By making sure your forms are completed in time, the clinician has time to review them prior to meeting.

Bluestem Psych focuses on working with children, teens, and young adults who are engaging in self-injury and/or suicidal behaviors. That said, there are many different reasons people engage in self-harm or have suicidal ideation. Thus, presenting concerns may include various anxiety disorders, depression and mood concerns, ADHD and attentional issues, behavioral concerns (i.e., defiance), OCD, suicidality, general life stress and adjustment difficulties, autism spectrum behaviors, and more.

Bluestem Psych is not a good fit for individuals with active psychosis or unmanaged bipolar disorder. Additionally, clients for whom the primary focus of treatment would be autism spectrum behaviors, tics, substance use, gender transitioning, or intensive trauma work would best be served by working with providers with more expertise in those areas.

Nope. In the state of Texas, only medical doctors can prescribe. However, psychologists (and other mental health clinicians) often consult with prescribing providers to make sure the client is getting holistic care from a team of committed individuals.

Though play, fun, and games are incorporated into child sessions, play therapy as its own modality is not offered at Bluestem Psych. Play therapy is not an evidence-based treatment, and thus does not align with the goal of Bluestem Psych to provide evidence-based services.

Similar to play therapy, supportive talk therapy (also often called process therapy) is not an evidence-based modality of treatment. Though therapy should always feel supportive, Bluestem Psych’s commitment to evidence-based practices mean that therapy sessions will always include research-backed skills and methods while providing a supportive, caring environment to discuss concerns.