The advantages of self-pay for quality mental health care

Self-pay payments for mental health care offer several benefits, including increased privacy protection, improved access to specialized and well-trained professionals, and assurance of quality services. These payments also support fair compensation for clinicians' hard work and expertise, ensuring a more personalized and effective treatment approach for the individual seeking care.

Fees and costs for psychotherapy services can vary, but less so than health coaches, as there are industry and location standards for setting rates. It’s important to do your own vetting when choosing any human to help you with anything, and choose someone you can trust who doesn’t guarantee you results, because that can’t ever be guaranteed. 

Increased privacy & confidentiality protection,

Plus, when you pay for mental health care out of pocket, your personal and medical information stays between you and your therapist. Insurance companies may require therapists to share more information about your treatment, and providers are required in their contract to give them whatever they ask . This could compromise your privacy, including in a workplace setting. It can be extremely worrying to know how much of your private mental health information is known by others, especially for individuals affected by domestic or intimate partner violence or seeking support around experiences of sexual violence. So, paying directly ensures that only necessary details are shared, keeping your information more private. 

More personalized and effective treatment approach 

With self-pay payments, you are more likely to receive better and more personalized care because when therapists are paid fairly for their work, they can dedicate more time and attention to each client. This means they can focus on understanding your specific needs and tailoring their approach to best support you. Additionally, fair compensation supports and motivates therapists to invest in quality ongoing training and professional development, which not only maintains their qualifications but also enhances the quality of care they provide.

Fair compensation for clinicians' training and expertise

Consider also the requirements required for a clinical social worker, therapist, licensed professional counselor, psychotherapist, licensed marriage and family therapist, and licensed clinical psychologist to be granted competency and legal permission to practice healthcare: from initial education, to supervised work, and to continuing education.

Therapists dedicate considerable time and effort to learn how to support individuals with mental health challenges. They begin by pursuing degrees in psychology, counseling, or social work at college. Following their formal education, therapists gain practical experience by working with clients under supervision, often through unpaid internships.

Even after becoming qualified, therapists continue to access ongoing clinical supervision to ensure they provide the best possible care to their clients. This supervision helps therapists reflect on their work, gain insights into their clients' needs, and refine their therapeutic skills. And of course, supervision costs money.

Additionally, therapists are required to engage in continuing education to maintain their qualifications and stay updated on the latest research and therapeutic techniques. Continuing education is not just a choice but a requirement to ensure therapists remain competent and effective in their practice.

It's essential to note that therapists often have to pay for their supervision and continuing education throughout their careers. The fees therapists charge for their services reflect their education, experience, ongoing supervision, and commitment to professional development. Therapists with extensive training, experience, and ongoing supervision typically charge higher fees to reflect the quality of their services and the costs associated with maintaining their qualifications.

It’s also important to note that health insurance companies set their own rates and often underpay Master’s level providers. This means that whatever your therapist charges it’s likely they are not actually receiving that amount, at least not from insurance. Essentially, it makes sense therefore that licensed clinicians should be making more than unregulated and uncertified coaches. 

Improved access to specialized professionals

When you pay out of pocket, you have more freedom to choose a therapist based on your preferences and needs, rather than being limited to those who are in your insurance network. This can sometimes lead to finding a better fit or a therapist with specific expertise that aligns with your needs. 

In Germany, for example, the current wait time for insurance-paid psychological psychotherapy can be up to nine months. This is partly due to the limited number of available licenses, which hasn’t increased since before 2000. 

Plus there are limits to the number of sessions you can have, depending on the type of therapy you need. From 12 hours for acute therapy (Akuttherapie), through to up to 60 hours for longer-term therapy (if it’s approved). Plus, the types of therapy are treated differently by health insurances, with some are not covered by the public health insurance.

Need immediate help? Call 0800 181 0771 (Germany‘s suicide hotline).

Why we have opted for private practitioners at Hope for Men

If you’ve ever felt like you can’t quite find the “right fit” with the therapists available in your insurance network, consider self-paying for the provider of your choice.

1. You are still getting that highly regulated and monitored healthcare service that’s still bound by privacy and confidentiality and other legal guidelines and laws in place for ethical practice which protect you, the client
2. You get increased privacy protection in not using your insurance
3. You’re likely getting a practitioner with specialized training and/or certifications that are current, scientifically tested, and proven to be helpful for others with your same symptoms or issues. Self-paying supports practitioners with costs for staying updated with current practices and trends as required by continuing education.. 

One last note

1. If you are looking for the deeper support a therapist can offer, it's important to understand that qualifications are essential but not the only factor to consider when choosing a therapist. 
2. You can search for a therapist here.
3. It’s about finding the right fit, someone you feel comfortable with and who you can openly communicate with. 
4. You should feel at ease talking to them and asking questions about things like their skills, fees, and how they handle cancellations.
5. You might need to meet a few different therapists to see who you connect with best. And that’s ok. 
6. And if you ever feel like therapy isn't helping you, it's okay to talk to your therapist about it. They should be open to having that conversation with you.

References

1. Privacy Protection in Billing and Health Insurance Communications, AMA J Ethics. 2016;18(3):279-287. doi: 10.1001/journalofethics.2016.18.3.pfor4-1603.
2. https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/privacy-protection-billing-and-health-insurance-communications/2016-03 Accessed 31 March, 2024
3. English A, Gold RB, Nash E, Levine J. Confidentiality for individuals insured as dependents: a review of state laws and policies. New York, NY: Guttmacher Institute, Public Health Solutions; 2012. http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/confidentiality-review.pdf. Accessed 31 March, 2024.
4.  The Role of Psychotherapy in the German Health Care System: Training Requirements for Psychological Psychotherapists and Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists, Legal Aspects, and Health Care Implementation. Nikolaus Melcop*ab, Thomas von Werderb, Nina Sarubinb, Andrea Benecke https://cpe.psychopen.eu/index.php/cpe/article/view/2549/2549.html Accessed: 14.05.24
5. Berlin needs help: How to get therapy in Germany. https://www.the-berliner.com/berlin/how-to-get-therapy-in-berlin-germany-mental-health/ by Joeran Mandik, published 06.06.23. Accessed: 02.02.24