Same price for tele-sessions?

If anything the therapy business is booming at the moment. I know this for a fact.

You hit the nail on the head here. If I didn’t have insurance there is no way in hell I would be paying $200 for 45 minutes - for all of the reasons you listed.

would you pay $200 for in person sessions?

If you don't think your T should charge full price for teletherapy, then talk to them. If they disagree, then find another T. Or don't see your T until they can do in-person again. Simple.

I pay L the same price. She still provides basically the same service, and she still has her normal bills to pay. I think it's fair. If I didn't, we would talk about it.

I dislike teletherapy for many reasons. L has only agreed to see my once a month in-person. Tomorrow we will be discussing frequency on in-person sessions because I brought it up that it is bothering me. She seems to be open to a change, but my guess is it will be a compromise.

But that is what you do in a healthy relationship: you talk things out, you communicate.

Both mine and my husbands therapists charge the same as normal. I only had one session as I don’t see my t regularly, just few times a year occasional .

My husbsnd has weekly appt and charge is the same as face to face. He has severe OCD and Tourette’s that are exasperated by being hospital RN during covid, he absolutely needs his sessions, he doesn’t find it different than regular sessions and I just asked him now, he doesn’t think people need to be paid less for working online versus face to face.

Both mine and my husbands therapists work for clinics. They don’t do their own billings and don’t run their own shops, so they can’t start charging something different.

I don’t think it’s anything to do with them being greedy or having one heck of a nerve.

I provide education and service online and I don’t believe it’s the same as face to face but I’d be hurt if people said I have a nerve to get the same paycheck. I do my best with what’s I am supposed to do under the circumstances. I don’t put any less of me into my work than face to face. Why would people be paid less? Those of us who are forced to work online didn’t create pandemics and dont wotk any less than we normally would and we still have to eat and pay bills just like everyone else.

Do you pay for your sessions out of pocket or insurance covers some/all of it?

They absolutely should not be charging the same price. It is not a matter of a healthy relationship - there is nothing healthy about a relationship where you pay someone to sit there. They are actors - it is not real. And I never found talking something out with a therapist to be useful and usually it was harmful. Therapists are opportunistic and they get away with charging what clients will pay them. Tele-appointments are not hard. They do not involve overhead. But in a market set up - they can and will charge clients whatever they can get out of them. The client's only recourse is to find a different therapist or a different and more healthy and cheaper activity. I found yoga, qi gong, and meditation all to be more useful and free.

Absolutely not

I totally get this, however, for me it’s not the same quality of service. The other night her internet went down four times during our 45-minute session. It’s hard to stay with the same thought process when you’re constantly interrupted. When her service began working again she kept cutting in and out - it felt like the scene in Wayne’s World. It’s not her fault and I’m not saying she should be paid less but it’s not the same service. However, I guess it’s better than nothing.

If sessions are interrupted and Internet is down or what not and your session is shortened, then I could see how sessions need to be extended or rescheduled. My session was no different than face to face. If it’s much shorter or interrupted then it’s a different story

I think some verbiage rubbed me the wrong way. My point was that sometimes people forget that therapists are people like me and you and have to pay bills.

Therapist sitting in front of the screen (not by his choice, and they hate it just as much as clients) or sitting in a chair face to face have to eat just the same. We having to work online “have a nerve” to pay bills just the same, my bills aren’t less because of pandemics but somehow I have to get paid less because I sit in front of computer all day not by choice (I am not a t but the idea stands)

My therapist said they would waive the fee if insurance won’t cover sessions. This place is so professional it borders on ridiculous sometimes. You just can’t seem to get close to anyone. Everyone is so “business.” like.

I don't know where you're getting the idea that overhead expenses don't exist for teletherapy. All of the same expenses apply, and if the therapist chooses to use a platform that's actually HIPAA compliant, teletherapy is an additional expense.

If people want to make the argument that teletherapy isn't the same as in person and shouldn't be charged the same, fine. But claiming teletherapy does not involve overhead is bogus reasoning for reducing fees.

Agreed. My T is still paying for his office space (and usually has the telehealth sessions from there), plus things like malpractice insurance, presumably his own/family's health insurance, his own mortgage, etc. And yes, it is an additional charge to get HIPAA-compliant software, like you mentioned.

Yep, my therapist had to buy the Zoom professional package because our sessions were so glitchy. So actually his overhead is now more than when he was practicing solely out of his office.

Not only are they paying their regular office expenses, they have to pay thr added cost to their own electrical expenses,, onternet expenses etc.

My T appears to be working harder in order to be able to adjust and learn how to to better provide therapy. She has been taking regular classes so she is providing the best possible care dueing a time that many clients are really struggling

It depends on the therapist and their set up. The ones I know socially are saving money - not spending more money. If the one you hire is spending more money -then they can have at it. But it is not necessary and hipaa does not require it.

HIPAA does require it. I don't know of any free video chat services that are HIPAA compliant. As I understand it, HHS has said that during this time, they will be lenient on the matter. But that doesn't mean things like Skype and Zoom are HIPAA compliant or that it's best practice to use them for teletherapy.

I suppose therapists might save money if they fire their receptionist (if they have one) and don't go into their office by saving on gas. The one I see has not laid off her receptionist and she does teletherapy from her office because that's where all the files are. I would not want her bringing those home and the receptionist likely needs them to do billing anyway. The expense of leasing an office also doesn't vanish even if the space isn't being used at the moment. The only plausible expense that could be done away with on a temporary basis is internet - and that's only if there isn't a contract in place and assuming there are no servers on site that must remain accessible remotely.

Like I said - it depends on their set up and there are a number of ways for them to make more money now than before and to reduce their expenses. If you don't mind what you pay them - then I suppose all is good.

Software absolutely must be HIPPA compliant, which requires using professional package. Just because therapy is now online or over the phone, it doesn’t mean therapists aren’t bound by rules and regulations all of a sudden amd just sitting there chilling.

I understand many people had bad experiences in therapy and hate therapists (many for a reason) but let’s not become so blinded by dislike of therapists that we stop using common sense.

As about cost of therapy...If one uses insurance, they should call their insurance and inquire what’s happening. Many insurance plans are either covering therapy in full during covid or allowing certain discounts. If state pays for your therapy, then you don’t have to worry about cost. If you are paying out of pocket and therapy is too expensive, then fire your therapist and look for a cheaper one.

We are free to hire and fire our therapists. And they are free to charge what they think they need to charge

For me it isn't about who's working harder vs taking it easier because it's irrelevant either way. And while it may feel differently, that doesn't necessarily mean it's lesser. There are, however, class action lawsuits forming against Universities for tuition reimbursement due to classes shifting to on-line. So obviously there are students/parents who feel they're not getting the value they've paid for. But I don't know anyone working in any profession that has shifted to on-line that is paid more or less, nor who charges more or less. The educators I know are paid the same salary as before. My accountant charges the same. My NP with whom I had a Televisit through the medical network is paid the same, and my insurance reimburses the same as an office visit. I don't see why therapists should be an exception either way.

That said, my T is in solo private practice. She decided for whatever reason to not do TeleHealth. She opted for phone sessions only which she sometimes conducts from home and sometimes from her office. Sessions are scheduled for the full time, but I do not believe insurance reimburses her because she's not using their platform. She's chosen to not charge clients for these calls. Whether or not that will continue, I can't say, especially if distancing remains necessary for an extended time. I'm fine with the phone calls, but if I weren't, I'd take a break, charge or no charge.