Navigating Mental Health Care Costs at Aspire Counseling: How Mentaya Makes a Difference
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash downloaded 1/19/23
Let’s face it, cost is often a huge barrier to getting high quality mental health care in the United States. And we certainly see that every day in Missouri. Many people looking for help with their depression, anxiety, trauma, eating disorders or other mental health concerns often feel like they’re either stuck going to some sort of community mental health agency with long waiting lists, high turnover of therapists, burnt out therapists who can barely work them in and may have to cancel frequently for client crises or various meetings and stark waiting rooms that seem almost hospital like in nature OR they’re looking at coming to a practice like ours which offers personalized care by therapists who see a reasonable number of clients (read: aren’t burnt out and have time to attend the latest trainings and consult with their colleagues regularly when they need support), can use systems like Blueprint to provide measurement based care and offer comforting office spaces but charge higher rates that insurance companies will find any reason they can to refuse to reimburse them for.
For years, as a private practice owner I have struggled with wanting to be accessible to clients, offer the absolute highest quality counseling that truly helps people get better and provide a living wage to the therapists at Aspire Counseling. It has felt like a delicate balance and often meant that we end up charging fees that many of the clients we want to help can’t afford. And even though we offer a number of reduced rate spots, they’re almost always full and never seem to help enough people. We always provided superbills, but insurance companies often denied our clients the first time they submitted those meaning they’d have to resubmit at least once and clients all too often decided it just wasn’t even worth it to try to hold the insurance company accountable for reimbursing them for the out of network mental health services they were using.
Our Commitment to Our Missouri Counseling Clients
At Aspire Counseling, we're committed to making your therapeutic journey as smooth and stress-free as possible, and that includes the financial aspect of therapy. We want to help as many clients as possible find healing and freedom from trauma, anxiety, stress and other mental health concerns in Missouri as we possibly can. And, we understand that navigating insurance and billing can often be overwhelming. We know that finances can be a barrier to many seeking therapy and that getting reimbursed by insurance can be the difference between being able to go to therapy until you’ve reached your mental health goals and having to quit early. That's why we've chosen Mentaya, a state-of-the-art billing platform, to simplify this process for our clients. In this blog post, we'll explore how Mentaya works, its benefits, and how it can make counseling services more affordable and less cumbersome for you.
Why Mentaya? The Rationale Behind Our Choice
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash downloaded 1/22/24
In our quest to provide high-quality, personalized care without being constrained by insurance companies, we needed a solution that supports our clients financially. Mentaya stands out as a comprehensive billing system that not only eases the reimbursement process but also maximizes your insurance benefits, even though we're an out-of-network provider. With Mentaya, we've seen a significant increase in the percentage of our clients receiving reimbursements swiftly and effortlessly.
I’m not going to lie, the switch to using Mentaya as our billing system hasn’t been without it’s bumps along the way. But anytime we make a change in systems we see that. We’re working very closely with their staff as those come up. But those bumps are relatively small. For instance, we’ve had to ask them to add a couple diagnoses to their system so we can bill using that diagnosis. Or a couple cards were declined so we had to look into why. But overall, we’re finding that it’s working really, really well. I’ve been very impressed with how much our clients are getting back in claims! And often, these claims are processed very quickly! Most importantly, they’re sent to the insurance company with hardly any effort on the part of the therapist (thus the reason we’re able to offer this service as such a small business) or the client. And when a claim is denied? That has happened a couple of times, but Mentaya completely takes care of resubmitting it for you, so you don’t have to be the one to worry about arguing with the insurance company even in that situation!
Maximizing Your Insurance Benefits with Mentaya
One of the standout features of Mentaya is its ability to help you efficiently utilize your out-of-network insurance benefits. Clients using Mentaya have experienced substantial savings, with potential reimbursements up to 90% of session costs. More often, our clients are getting aroudn 60% of their session fees reimbursed. This can make a big difference in affording quality therapy sessions at Aspire Counseling.
Simplifying Your Reimbursement Process
Once you enroll in Mentaya, the system handles all aspects of insurance submissions, turning a once tedious task into a seamless experience. This means less stress for you and more focus on your therapeutic journey.
Honestly, this is the main reason we decided to go with this sort of system. What we found is that even though most of our clients had out of network benefits, the time and mental energy it took to get reimbursed was a heavy, heavy burden. Mentaya now takes on that burden.
Let’s face it, your time is valuable. Very valuable. But you still need to make therapy more affordable. That’s what we’re hoping to do is to make the reimbursement process extremely easy for you but also make therapy more affordable.
Quick and Informative Benefit Checks
Mentaya's rapid benefit check service, which takes just three seconds, informs you precisely how much you can expect to be reimbursed. This transparency is invaluable in planning your therapy finances.
Direct Insurance Communication: A Thing of the Past
With Mentaya, you no longer have to navigate the often confusing and time-consuming world of insurance company communication. The platform manages all claim submissions and follow-ups, providing a hassle-free experience.
I can’t even begin to describe how infuriating some of my clients have found communicating with their insurance companies. Don’t get me wrong, I have a few clients who have seen it as this great challenge and they’ve handled it amazingly well. I remember one client who printed the entire insurance manual, went through it with a highlighter and notes and then called the insurance company ready to go to battle. So it IS possible to be successful talking to them directly. But mostly, they’re annoying. And this new system lets you get reimbursed for your sessions without having to worry about that direct communication.
Receiving Your Reimbursements Faster
Mentaya's efficiency means claims are submitted right after each session, ensuring that any issues or denials are managed promptly. As soon as your therapist bills you for your session, they’re also selecting the button that automatically submits a claim to your insurance on your behalf. For many of our clients, these claims are approved very quickly. I’m not going to lie-there are some insurance companies that are still taking a coupel weeks to approve claims. And that’s annoying. But at least they’re getting the claim immediately after your session and they’re getting all of the information they need. This leads to faster reimbursements than if you were having to get a superbill from us and go through the traditional channels of manually submitting those to them, making the financial aspect of therapy more manageable.
The Benefits of Mentaya for Therapists at Aspire Counseling
I won’t spend too much time here, but I do want to at least touch on the fact that there are benefits for our therapists as well. As the founder and director of Aspire Counseling, I care very deeply about our therapists. And I believe that when our therapists are happy, they do better work. When they’re not burnt out or frustrated by paperwork, they can focus on reading up about their favorite types of mental health treatment or consult with their colleagues. And that results in better care for you. So, I want to briefly acknowledge that our new system does also help your therapist, because I think that also helps you.
Streamlined Billing for Enhanced Client Care
For our therapists, Mentaya simplifies the billing process, allowing them to dedicate more time and energy to what they do best – providing client care. This shift towards a more efficient system translates into enhanced client satisfaction.
Reducing Administrative Burden
Mentaya takes over the responsibility of insurance submissions and client billing, freeing our therapists from these administrative tasks. This allows them to focus more on providing high-quality, evidence-based therapy.
Ensuring Timely Payments
The streamlined operation of Mentaya ensures that therapists receive their payments without delay. I believe our therapists deserve to be paid for their hard work. They’ve spent years in school, years beyond that making less money while they work toward clinical licensure. And now they work hard. In fact, much of their work is outside of the client sessions you paid for. So, it’s important that they are indeed compensated for sessions so we want a billing system that makes it easier for that to happen.
Billing Procedures at Aspire Counseling
We want to be really transparent about what you can expect at Aspire Counseling, so I’ll share some information here, but also please never hesitate to reach out with questions!
Getting Started with Mentaya
When you first schedule an appointment with a therapist at Aspire Counseling, our Client Care Team will guide you through the initial setup with Mentaya. This step is crucial in ensuring a seamless billing experience from the start.
After that, our therapists are trained to handle billing on the same day as your session, ensuring timely processing and submission of claims.
Your Decision on Insurance Billing
It's important for you to communicate with your therapist about your choice to use insurance billing through Mentaya. This decision is crucial in how we manage your session charges.
I want to acknowledge that some of our clients choose never to submit to their insurance for reimbursement and that is completely ok. If you don’t want your insurance to know you’re in counseling at all, we completely respect that. You do not have to submit claims to your insurance. We respect your privacy completely and your therapist has the option to only bill you for the session without submitting your information to insurance if you would prefer.
Transparent Fee Structure for Insurance Billing
Mentaya applies a 5% charge per session for clients who choose to have their superbills submitted to insurance. This nominal fee is a part of Mentaya's service and does not benefit Aspire directly. For those who opt not to submit sessions to insurance, this fee does not apply.
For superbills prior to January 2024 or for other out-of-network services, Mentaya offers the option to upload them for a 10% charge. Additionally, if you want to submit superbills you’ve received from somewhere else for other out of network services (for example, if you see a couples therapist somewhere else who’s out of network or you see an out of network chiropractor), it’s our understanding you can upload those as well for that 10% fee.
These charges are exclusively for Mentaya's services, our practice does not receive any of this fee.
Out of Network Insurance Billing to Make Therapy in Missouri More Accessible
Navigating the financial aspects of mental health care shouldn't be an additional burden on your healing journey. At Aspire Counseling, we understand the value of mental health and the importance of making it accessible. By implementing Mentaya, we're not just simplifying billing processes; we're reaffirming our commitment to providing exceptional care. This system mirrors our dedication to offering a space where healing, growth, and affordability go hand in hand.
Mentaya is more than a billing system; it's a bridge connecting you to the quality care you deserve, without the financial complexities and frustrations often associated with therapy. It's a testament to our belief that everyone deserves access to high-quality mental health services, regardless of their financial situation.
Begin Counseling in Missouri with Aspire Counseling
A photo of all of our therapists at Aspire Counseling’s annual retreat. Our therapists strive to provide excellent evidence-based care to truly help their clients in their mental health journey!
If you're seeking a therapy experience that values your well-being, both emotionally and financially, Aspire Counseling is here to support you. Whether you're grappling with trauma, OCD, anxiety, depression, or grief, our team of expert therapists is ready to guide you through evidence-based and personalized treatment approaches.
Don't let the challenges of traditional insurance and billing deter you from seeking the help you need. With Aspire Counseling, you're stepping into a world where therapy is accessible, transparent, and focused on your needs.
For a free consultation and to be matched with one of our therapists, call us at 573-328-2288 or complete our online form. We're proud to offer our services in various Missouri locations, including our Lee's Summit office near Blue Springs, our Columbia office in Mid Missouri, and statewide through online counseling.
Your mental health journey is unique, and at Aspire Counseling, we're dedicated to walking alongside you with compassion, expertise, and a commitment to excellence. Reach out today and start your journey towards a healthier, more fulfilled life.
About the Author
A photo of Jessica Tappa, founder and director of Aspire Counseling. Jessica has a deep commitment to providing evidence-based care, and resources to clients of Aspire Counseling.
Jessica Tappana, the founder and director of Aspire Counseling, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Missouri with a deep commitment to providing evidence-based care. Her clinical expertise extends to treating PTSD, OCD, and supporting teenagers and stressed professionals. Jessica is dedicated to fostering an environment where therapists at Aspire Counseling can excel in their clinical work. She advocates for a balanced workload, ensuring therapists have the necessary support for professional growth and continued passion in helping their clients. Continuously seeking ways to enhance the practice and its impact, Jessica is a driving force in improving mental health care in her community and across the state.
