Client Notification • January 2024

1. We are increasing our out-of-pocket fees.

We try to avoid increasing the costs of our out-of-pocket fees. Because we have kept our fees the same for several years, our out-of-pocket fees have not kept up with inflation. Our costs and expenses have increased over the past several years, and we now need to make a small increase to our out-of-pocket fees.

As a result, effective February 4th , our new out-of-pocket fees are:

• Evaluation & Assessment Session: $250
• Individual Therapy Session: $200
• Family & Relationship Therapy Session: $225
• Crisis Therapy Session (First 60 Minutes): $230
• Crisis Therapy Session (Add’l 30 Minutes): $115
• Group Therapy:
  • Group Therapy Evaluation & Assessment Session: $250
  • Group Therapy Session: $60
• Late Cancellation – Doctoral Therapist: $160
• Late Cancellation – Masters Therapist: $135

2. We are increasing the hourly rate for our professional services.

We try to avoid increasing the hourly fee of our therapists. Because we have kept our hourly fee the same for several years, similar to what has occurred with our out-of- pocket fees, our hourly fee has not kept up with inflation. Our costs and expenses have increased over the past several years, and we now need to make a small increase to the hourly fee of our therapists.

As a result, effective February 4th, the hourly fee of our therapists for professional services is $200. Examples of the professional services to which the hourly fee applies, as outlined in our Informed Consent, include:

• Telephone conversations lasting 10+ minutes
• Consultations
• Report Writing
• Letter Writing*
• Preparing and Writing Treatment Summaries
• Attendance at Meetings w/ Other Professionals Authorized by the Client
• Time Spent on Any Other Service Requested of Your Therapist
• Time Spent on Legal Matters

* Time spent drafting and preparing Letters of Support for Gender Affirming Care are not charged.

3. We will no longer be accepting or billing insurance for family and relationship therapy. Current family and relationship therapy clients will be provided at a reduced rate. For details about our Reduced Rate Program, click here.

The way that insurance companies require therapists to provide family and relationship therapy – also known as the “medical model” – does not align with how our therapists are trained to provide relationship therapy nor does it align with our therapists’ ethical codes for who the client is.

• Insurance wants our therapists to identify one individual as the client. This person is called the “identified patient.” Insurance does not allow for us to consider the “relationship” or “family unit” as the client. Only the identified patient with a medical diagnosis is the client. By no longer billing insurance for family and relationship therapy, we can treat the family and relationship unit as the client. We are now treating and working with all individuals in the family or relationship unit.
• For insurance, the identified patient is diagnosed with a medical condition, and the identified patient is treated for that diagnosis and how that diagnosis is impacting their relationships. Insurance does not allow family or relationship therapy to treat communication problems, infidelity, pre- or post-marital concerns, or the other standard reasons many people seek relationship therapy. By no longer billing insurance for family and relationship therapy, we are able to treat and work with our clients on all aspects of their family and relationship dynamics. We will not be assigning a medical diagnosis – all relationship therapy clients will simply receive the diagnosis “Problems in relationship,” which is not a diagnosis covered by insurance.
• Because insurance recognizes only one individual as the focus of treatment – the identified patient – insurance prevents the use of many types of therapy and treatment modalities. For example, emotionally focused couples therapy (EFCT) is not a type of therapy that can be used with only one individual with a medical diagnosis. By no longer billing insurance for family and relationship therapy, our therapists are able to provide more fulsome, higher quality types of therapy and treatment modalities, including EFCT.

4. We are expanding the number of people who qualify for our Sliding Scale Program. For details about our Sliding Scale Program, click here.

5. We are now offering a Reduced Rate Program for individuals who do not qualify for the Sliding Scale Program but for whom our out-of-pocket fees may be financially difficult. For details about our Reduced Rate Program, click here.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact us at help@intraspecrum-chicago.com or speak with your therapist during an upcoming session.