Payment Options

Cost is often a barrier to mental health care, and we want to be transparent about ours. Below you’ll find the information regarding:

  • Insurance plans we accept
  • Using out-of-network insurance
  • Self-paying without insurance
  • Sliding scale reduced rates
  • Seeing an intern therapist
  • Our grant for BIPOC clients ages 13-25

If something on this page is unclear, reach out, and we’ll answer directly. We’d rather talk it through than have cost concerns keep you from getting care that fits you.

Paying with Insurance

At Transformative Therapy, one way we operate as an anti-oppressive practice is by accepting insurance, including Medicaid plans. This choice keeps therapy more accessible to more people, and we believe in being in-network whenever possible.

Insurance plans we accept

Note: Not all of our therapists can accept all plans.

  • Aetna Aetna Better Health (Medicaid)
  • Blue Care Network
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Blue Cross Complete Medicaid
  • Forest County Potawatomi Insurance
  • Ingham Health Plan
  • McLaren Commercial
  • McLaren Medicaid
  • Meridian Commercial
  • Meridian Medicaid
  • Molina Commercial
  • Priority Health Commercial

What if my plan isn’t listed?

Many plans we’re not currently in-network with still offer “out-of-network” benefits, which means they’ll reimburse you for part or all of your therapy cost. See the Out-of-network options section below for more.

Using out-of-network insurance benefits

If we’re not in-network with your insurance plan, you may still be able to use your out-of-network benefits. Here’s how that typically works:

  • We verify you have out of network benefits.
  • We inform you of your out-of-network co-pay and deductible, and how much you are responsible for each appointment.
  • We bill your insurance as out-of-network on your behalf.

Please be aware that your out-of-network deductible, coinsurance, and co-pay are typically higher than your in-network deductible, coinsurance, and co-pay. Plus, they are completely separate from your in-network deductible and co-pay.

Bottom line: Any out-of-network deductible, co-pay, or co-insurance amounts do not affect your in-network amounts.

Do I have to call my insurance company and verify my benefits to start therapy?

Verifying your insurance and emailing you the expected costs are the first things we do after receiving your appointment request. Although it is rare, what we see when we verify your insurance is not always 100% accurate.

The most reliable way to know what you’ll pay is to call your insurance provider and ask. You can decide to call and verify yourself, or trust what your insurance plan showed us during our own verification.

Even if you call, we will still verify your insurance and share our findings with you. If there are any discrepancies, we will work with you to determine what is accurate.

You do not have to call and verify your insurance benefits, but if you decide to, follow the instructions below: “How to verify your benefits”.

How to verify your benefits

The most reliable way to know what you’ll pay is to call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card, be prepared to take notes, and ask:

  • If your insurance is listed as a plan we accept, ask, “Does my insurance plan cover outpatient mental health therapy?”
  • If your insurance is not listed as a plan we accept above, ask, “Do I have out-of-network benefits I can use for outpatient mental health therapy?

Once you know if you will be able to use your in-network benefits or out-of-network benefits, ask:

  • Does my deductible count towards mental health therapy? If yes, ask how much of my deductible is remaining?
  • What’s my copay or coinsurance per session?
  • If you will be attending individual therapy, ask. “How much will my cost be for billing codes 90791 and 90837?”
  • If you will be attending relationship therapy (couples, partners, friends or family therapy) ask, “How much will my cost be for billing codes 90791 and 90847?”

Non-insurance Payment Options

Clients who are without insurance or have insurance with high deductibles, co-pays, or co-insurance they can not financially afford may elect to apply for a reduced self-pay rate or to see a graduate-level intern therapist instead of a licensed therapist.

Self-paying the full rate

You can pay the full rate without using insurance. Some clients prefer to pay without insurance. The reasons are many; one reason is that there is no mental health diagnosis on their insurance record.

Our fees:

  • Initial Appointment (first appointment): $300
  • Ongoing 55-minute appointments: $225

Sliding scale reduced rates

For clients whose insurance costs are a barrier to therapy, we offer a reduced self-pay rate using a sliding scale. This is part of our commitment to being an anti-oppressive therapy practice and a way we increase financial accessibility, so clients who may otherwise be left out are able to come to therapy.

  • Sliding scale rates range from $60 to $225 per session.
  • Eligibility is based on household size, income, and circumstance.

Therapy with an intern

We typically have at least one intern therapist seeing clients. Intern therapists are graduate-level students in their last year of university. Once they complete their internship and graduate, they will be eligible to apply to the State of Michigan for licensure as therapists. Interns are supervised by fully licensed therapists who work closely with them.

Interns are still in graduate school and are still learning and developing skills. We can offer a sliding-scale rate, with lower rates, for self-paying clients who see an intern therapist.

  • Sliding scale rates range from $20 to $80 per session.
  • Eligibility is based on household size, income, and circumstance.

The Firecracker Legacy Fund

For new or existing clients, we offer a grant to help those facing financial barriers cover therapy costs. This grant is open to individuals who are BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ and between the ages of 13 and 25.

The Firecracker Legacy Fund helps BIPOC queer youth ages 13–24 cover the cost of therapy. IThe fund started when the Firecracker Foundation closed its doors and gifted to us grant money intented to help BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+ queer youth.

How do I apply for reduced rates or the Firecracker Legacy Fund?

When you request an appointment, the form will ask you, “How will therapy costs be covered?” Simply select all the options you would like to explore to cover therapy costs.

Our team will follow up with you via email to explore the options you selected and get any information needed from you.