Why Private Pay?
How to Use Out-of-Network Benefits to "Untie the Knots" of Therapy Costs
For many, the biggest "knot" in starting therapy isn't the vulnerability of the work—it’s the logistics of the cost. At Common Thread, we are a private-pay practice by design. This allows our team of specialists to provide highly personalized, trauma-informed care (like EMDR or Brainspotting) without the restrictions and diagnosis mandates often imposed by insurance companies.
However, "out-of-pocket" doesn't have to mean "out of reach." If you have insurance, you may have out-of-network benefits that can cover a significant portion of your therapy costs.
What is a Superbill?
Think of a superbill as a "premium receipt." Unlike a standard invoice, it contains the specific medical coding (ICD-10 and CPT codes) that insurance companies require to process a claim.
While you pay for your session at the time of service, we provide you with this detailed document monthly. You then submit it to your insurance provider, and they mail a reimbursement check directly to you.
Why Choose Out-of-Network Care?
Choosing a specialist outside of your insurance network offers several "common threads" of value that in-network care often cannot:
Privacy & Control: Your records and treatment plan remain between you and your therapist. We aren't required to share your session notes with insurance adjusters.
No Mandatory Diagnosis: We focus on your healing and resilience, not on fitting you into a permanent medical label just to "justify" a session.
Immediate Access: You bypass the 3-month waitlists common with in-network providers.
4 Simple Steps to Get Reimbursed
If you are considering therapy with us, here is how to navigate the superbill process:
Verify Your Benefits: Call the member services number on the back of your insurance card. Ask: "What is my out-of-network deductible for outpatient mental health?" and "What is my reimbursement rate for CPT code 90837 (60-minute session)?"
Attend Your Session: You’ll meet with one of our specialists and pay your session fee via our secure portal.
Receive Your Superbill: At the end of each month, our administrator will send you a professional PDF superbill containing all the necessary credentials and coding.
Submit & Receive: Upload the PDF to your insurance company’s member portal (it usually takes less than 5 minutes). Depending on your plan, you could receive 60% to 80% of the session cost back in the mail.
We Are Here to Help
As a group practice, we strive to make the administrative side of healing as smooth as the clinical side. Our practice administrator is available to help you understand your superbills and provide any additional documentation your insurance might require.
Ready to start? Click here to book a free 15-minute consultation with our intake coordinator.
