I understand why I get asked the question, only paying a co-pay and having your insurance foot the rest of the bill sounds like an amazing deal, like it's too good to be true! The truth is, sometimes it is too good to be true and there are a couple of reasons why my answer to the question is "no."
Many people don't realize that in order to use your health insurance benefits you have to be diagnosed with an illness. Insurance companies call this "medical necessity" and if you and I can't prove to the insurance company that you need the treatment you are seeking, they can deny your request to use your insurance.
Even if you made it past the initial request, I would have to consistently prove to your insurance company that you are “ill” for me to continue to see you, otherwise they may deny you further sessions. Beyond that, all diagnoses go on your medical record and could be considered pre-existing conditions in the years to come. Pre-existing conditions can have a significant impact on your ability to secure any health insurance coverage in the future. And even if you are able to obtain insurance with a diagnosis on your record, your insurance premiums, deductibles, and co-pays are likely to be much higher, as protections for pre-existing conditions have been, to say the least, scaled back.
I don't want to focus on keeping you ill but instead focus on getting you WELL and therefore have chosen not to deal with insurance companies. I hope that spending some time explaining why I do not take insurance was helpful and informative.