Insurance and Mental Health
In this article:
Opened in 2010, our practice was founded on a vision of increased accessibility and decreased stigma around therapy and mental health
Through out the COVID-19 pandemic, our office has continued to provide services to new and existing clients
We are optimistic about the future of mental health and fortunate for the opportunities we have to work with the vibrant, diverse and enigmatic community of Chicago.
Therapy
The origins of the practice began with Ryan Higgins and John Carter while working at a community mental health center in Skokie, IL. We opened our doors in 2010 with a belief that a private office could accept commercial health insurance while also aligning with the value of accessibility to cost-effective therapeutic care.
The 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) brought about many changes to how health insurance covered mental health. The effect these acts had on the insurance system in the U.S. is debatable, however these acts directly contributed to the expansion of mental health coverage in the U.S., as well as contributed to how private mental health practices, such as ourselves, can provide our services to the community.
Our practice was founded on a vision of increased accessibility and decreased stigma around therapy and mental health. The ACA changed the parameters of health insurance coverage so that plans that had yearly limits on mental health were eliminated, and young adults were able to stay on their family plans to the age of twenty-six. This expansion allowed individuals who may not be on a traditional path or who have graduated college but still looking for their first job to receive mental health coverage at a very pivotal life stage.
The ACA also greatly expanded accessibility of health insurance to millions who did not have access previously. It may seem somewhat in the past now, but the option to have access to affordable health insurance outside of an employer offered plan was unchartered territory. This set the stage for our practice to quickly grow from a two person operation to a full staff of licensed counselors, clinical social workers and psychologists.
Since day one, we have accepted every commercial health insurance plan that has been available to our practice. We have never discriminated against health insurance plans that reimburse at lower rates. If your employer offers sub-par insurance coverage, or if you purchase plan off of the exchange, you still deserve access to therapeutic services.
Additionally, we always made simplicity in insurance billing a top priority. We understand that when people reach out to us for support, insurance billing and filing of claims is one of the last things someone wants to figure out on their own. We handle all insurance billing, authorization and claim disputes in-house and on our client’s behalf. We believe this is the only way to operate a therapeutic practice.
Our practice has dependable working relationships with psychiatrists, hospitals, primary care physicians, and university counseling centers to provide coordination of care in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
We have built trusted relationships with graduate level training programs in Chicago, and provide therapeutic support to medical doctors in training, lawyers, and graduate level students. These individuals, who are in rigorous educational programs, typically would not seek out mental health treatment without the appropriate avenues already in place.
We have developed relationships with multiple employee assistance programs (EAP) over the years. These programs, available through an employee’s corporate benefits, have allowed us to continue the vision of access to care by providing therapy and training to individuals who may not have sought out mental health care on their own.
Our office has also provided consultation and training to non-profit organizations in the areas of mental health education, program development and intern training and supervision.
Virtual Therapy Appointments
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire world in March of 2020, our office quickly adjusted to the stay at home orders. In-person communication and emotional support is the foundation of our profession. It was a moment in time when everyone and every business needed to learn how to adjust, and we were able to continue providing services to existing clients as well as continuously accept new clients who were in need of therapeutic support.
We have been in the Monadnock Building (the world’s first skyscraper) since 2010. A building that was built in 1893, and the largest office building in the world at time of completion. A building that has stood the test of time and weathered many storms, in the heart of Chicago Loop, seems to be an appropriate home for our therapeutic practice.
As most of the mental health community, we transitioned to providing telehealth services for individual psychotherapy in mid-March as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down Chicago and the state of Illinois.
DISCLAIMER: All information included is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to be used for self-diagnosis or to instruct anyone on how to proceed with their mental healthcare. A mental health diagnosis can only be identified by a trained professional that facilitates a proper assessment. Please speak to your healthcare professionals prior to making any changes.
