Insurance & Payment Options

Understanding Your Payment Choices at CEREVITY

Effective Date: January 13, 2025

Last Updated: November 1, 2025

1. Our Payment Philosophy

At CEREVITY, we operate as a private-pay, boutique therapy practice. This means we do not directly contract with or bill insurance companies for our services. This model allows us to provide you with the highest level of care, flexibility, and—most importantly—complete privacy and confidentiality.

While we don't accept insurance directly, we understand that many clients want to maximize their healthcare benefits. That's why we've partnered with Thrizer, a platform that makes it simple to use your out-of-network insurance benefits.

2. Your Payment Options

You have two options for paying for therapy at CEREVITY:

Option 1: Private Pay (Recommended for Maximum Privacy)

With private pay, you pay directly for services without involving insurance companies at all.

✓ Maximum Privacy Benefits:

  • No insurance records: Your therapy remains completely confidential between you and your therapist
  • No diagnosis required: We don't need to assign a mental health diagnosis for billing purposes
  • No insurance company involvement: Your treatment details, progress notes, and personal information stay with CEREVITY—not shared with third parties
  • Complete discretion: No paper trail in insurance databases that could affect future coverage, employment, or security clearances
  • Protected from data breaches: Your information is not stored in insurance company systems

Session Rates:

  • Standard Session (50 min): $175
  • Extended Session (90 min): $300
  • Intensive Session (3 hours): $575

Option 2: Out-of-Network Benefits via Thrizer

If you have PPO insurance with out-of-network mental health benefits, you can use Thrizer to get reimbursed for a portion of your therapy costs—often 50-80% of the session fee.

⚠️ Important Privacy Considerations:

When you choose to use your out-of-network insurance benefits through Thrizer, you are opting to involve your insurance company in your care. This means:

  • A mental health diagnosis will be provided to your insurance company
  • Treatment information and session dates will be submitted for reimbursement
  • Your therapy will become part of your insurance and medical records
  • This information may be accessed by insurance company staff, third-party administrators, and could potentially impact future insurance applications or coverage

✓ Benefits of Using Thrizer:

  • Potential savings: Average reimbursement of 50-80% of session costs
  • Instant benefits verification: Know your coverage before your first session
  • Simplified process: No more superbills or insurance phone calls—Thrizer handles it all
  • Pay only what you owe: Some plans allow you to pay just your co-pay upfront
  • Direct reimbursement: Payments deposited directly to your bank account

3. Understanding the Privacy Trade-offs

We believe in complete transparency so you can make an informed decision about which payment option is right for you.

What Private Pay Protects:

  • Your therapy stays between you and your therapist—no exceptions unless legally required
  • No documentation sent to insurance companies, employers, or government databases
  • Ideal for high-profile professionals, executives, attorneys, physicians, and others who require absolute discretion
  • No risk of mental health records affecting professional licenses, security clearances, or career opportunities
  • Protected from insurance company data breaches or unauthorized access

What Using Insurance Requires:

  • Submission of diagnosis codes (such as Adjustment Disorder, Generalized Anxiety, Major Depression) to your insurance company
  • Documentation of treatment dates, session types, and clinical information
  • Your therapy becomes part of your permanent medical and insurance records
  • Information may be reviewed by insurance claims processors, medical reviewers, and third-party administrators
  • Potential impact on life insurance, disability insurance, and certain professional certifications

4. How Thrizer Works (If You Choose This Option)

If you decide to use your out-of-network benefits, here's the simple process:

Step 1: Check Your Benefits

Use Thrizer's free instant benefits calculator to see if you have out-of-network coverage and estimate your reimbursement.

Step 2: Set Up Your Thrizer Account

Your therapist will send you an invitation link. Add your insurance information and payment method securely.

Step 3: Attend Your Sessions

Focus on your therapy—Thrizer automatically handles claims submission after each session.

Step 4: Receive Reimbursement

Insurance reimbursements are deposited directly to your bank account. Some plans even allow you to pay only your estimated co-pay upfront.

Learn more about Thrizer at www.thrizer.com

5. Understanding Insurance Terms

If you're considering using your out-of-network benefits, here are key terms to understand:

Deductible:

The amount you must pay out-of-pocket before your insurance begins to reimburse for out-of-network services.

Allowed Amount:

The maximum amount your insurance will recognize for reimbursement (typically $120-$150 for a therapy session, depending on your plan).

Co-insurance:

The percentage of the allowed amount you're responsible for after meeting your deductible (common co-insurance rates are 20-50%).

Reimbursement Rate:

The actual amount your insurance will pay back to you, calculated based on your deductible, allowed amount, and co-insurance.

6. How to Check Your Out-of-Network Benefits

Before deciding whether to use insurance, we recommend verifying your out-of-network benefits. Here's how:

Questions to Ask Your Insurance Company:

  • Do I have out-of-network benefits for outpatient mental health services?
  • What is my out-of-network deductible, and how much have I met?
  • What percentage will be reimbursed after I meet my deductible?
  • What is the "allowed amount" for a standard therapy session (CPT codes 90834 or 90837)?
  • Is there a limit on the number of therapy sessions per year?

7. Who Should Choose Private Pay?

Private pay is especially valuable for:

  • High-profile professionals: Executives, attorneys, physicians, judges, politicians, or anyone in the public eye
  • Those with security clearances: Military, government, or defense industry professionals
  • Licensed professionals: Individuals whose professional licenses require mental health disclosure
  • Business owners and entrepreneurs: Those seeking key person insurance or business loans
  • Privacy-conscious individuals: Anyone who values complete confidentiality above cost savings
  • Those planning major insurance changes: Individuals applying for life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care coverage

8. Why CEREVITY Doesn't Accept Insurance Directly

Our decision to remain out-of-network is intentional and benefits you in several ways:

  • Your privacy comes first: We don't share detailed treatment notes, diagnoses, or session content with insurance companies (unless you choose to use out-of-network benefits)
  • No session limits: Insurance companies often restrict the number of sessions; we provide care based on your needs, not arbitrary limits
  • Treatment freedom: We're not constrained by insurance-approved treatment modalities or session lengths
  • No pre-authorization hassles: You don't need insurance approval to start or continue therapy
  • Quality over quantity: We maintain smaller caseloads to provide personalized, high-quality care
  • Clinical autonomy: Treatment decisions are made by you and your therapist—not an insurance company

9. Accepted Payment Methods

We accept the following payment methods for therapy services:

  • Credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover)
  • Debit cards
  • HSA (Health Savings Account)
  • FSA (Flexible Spending Account)
  • Payment via Thrizer (if using out-of-network benefits)

Payment is due at the time of service. We do not bill clients after sessions.

10. Have Questions About Payment Options?

We understand that choosing between private pay and using insurance benefits is an important decision. We're here to help you understand your options.

CEREVITY, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, P.C.

Phone: (562) 295-6650

Address: 3217 East Carson Street, Suite 319, Lakewood, CA 90712

Ready to Begin Your Journey?

Experience confidential, boutique therapy designed for high-achieving professionals in California.

What Makes CEREVITY Different:

• Private-Pay Priority – Maximum privacy and discretion for your care
• Flexible Options – Private pay or out-of-network benefits via Thrizer
• Complete Transparency – Clear information about privacy trade-offs
• Licensed Professionals – Evidence-based care from experienced clinicians

Or visit: cerevity.com

Join executives, attorneys, physicians, and other high-performing professionals who trust CEREVITY for confidential, premium mental health care.

✓ Maximum Privacy Options • ✓ HIPAA Compliant • ✓ California Licensed

We're committed to transparency. If you have any questions about payment options or privacy considerations, please don't hesitate to contact us.