Helping Clients Navigate the Challenging Cost of Therapy

Mental health care can be expensive for clients. And navigating insurance can be tricky. When clients have difficulty paying for care, they may decide not to pursue therapy or discontinue ongoing treatment altogether. 

As part of our mission to make mental health care more accessible, approachable, and utilized, we enable providers to accept health insurance and offer an out-of-pocket cost to clients that’s lower than the average market cost. 

Even with the reduced-cost options, you may still encounter clients who have financial challenges. Here are a few ways SonderMind can help. 

Reducing care costs

When you partner with SonderMind, we protect you from being faced with the difficult decision to offer a sliding payment scale. We encourage you to work with your clients on finding alternative financial solutions. Some ways to help reduce the cost of care to clients include:

• Shifting sessions to bi-weekly
• Meeting for 30-minute sessions instead of 60-minute sessions 

Helping clients understand costs

At SonderMind, the cost of sessions depends on the method of payment and the behavioral health coverage provided by a client’s insurance. Encourage your client to contact their insurance provider to understand their behavioral health benefits and what is covered or not covered. If you are a SonderMind provider, encourage your clients who have specific questions related to payments to contact our client support team.

Different ways to pay for therapy

There are many options for clients to pay for mental health care costs. If they have a health plan through their employer, they may be able to use a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). An FSA (also known as a Flexible Spending Arrangement) is an account that clients put money into to pay for certain health care costs that are out-of-pocket. FSAs are tax-free, which means that no taxes are paid on the money put into an FSA. Employers may make contributions to an FSA but are not required to. 

For clients who have high deductible health plans (HDHPs), a Health Savings Account (HSA) is an account that lets them set money aside to pay for certain eligible medical costs. The money set aside is not taxed, helping them lower their overall health care costs. 

Many employers also offer support through Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that offer a range of health, financial and social support, including support for mental and substance use disorders. Encourage your clients to contact their employer’s EAP program to learn the services that are covered. 

SonderMind also offers competitive self-pay rates to help clients get the care they need that’s easy on their wallet.‍

‍Committed to increasing access

As we continue our journey toward redesigning behavioral health, we continue to improve the ways clients can access and utilize mental healthcare — quickly and affordably.

SonderMind’s evidence-based approach to care gives you the tools to provide the best possible support to even more people in need. When you join the SonderMind network, you have access to comprehensive provider resources, free or discounted CEs, case consultation, and an exclusive online forum for SonderMind providers. See all continuing education and training opportunities available to SonderMind providers here. 

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