I’m going on a trip out-of-state or moving out-of-state. Can I do my telehealth sessions from out-of-state?

(updated February 20, 2024) Katie Aguayo Zweifel, the owner of New England Fertility Counseling PLLC, is licensed in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont as an LICSW. Katie is also licensed in Maine as an LCSW. As a result, Katie can offer telehealth sessions to anyone located in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine. In general, Katie cannot see clients located outside of these states, and this is due to the restrictions of her active licenses. However, if you are traveling out-of-state or moving out-of-state and want to continue working with Katie via telehealth, please bring this to Katie’s attention during a session or phone call to further discuss options.

Do you offer family therapy and couples therapy?

(Updated February 20, 2024) New England Fertility Counseling, PLLC specializes in fertility counseling, inclusive of infertility, family building challenges, and perinatal loss. New England Fertility Counseling, PLLC focuses on providing individual therapy and couples therapy around these concerns. In certain cases, Katie may be able to offer family therapy with siblings, parents, in-laws, etc. if the presenting concern is related to fertility concerns. In addition, Katie offers childfree-affirming couples therapy to all couples without children (whether by choice, circumstance, or infertility).

Quick note about how couples therapy differs from individual therapy: In couples therapy, the client is the relationship between a couple; a couples therapist goal is to work with the couple to improve their relationship. In individual sessions, the focus is on an individual. If the relationship is the main reason bringing the client to counseling, then couples counseling is warranted.

Do you accept my insurance?

(updated February 20, 2024) New England Fertility Counseling, PLLC is self-pay only (also called private pay or out-of-pocket). New England Fertility Counseling, PLLC is not in-network with any insurances. Katie Aguayo Zweifel values the freedom and flexibility not being on insurance panels offers. Not taking insurance allows Katie Aguayo Zweifel to be the best therapist she can be, while also offering sliding scale/reduced fee services to people facing financial hardship.

Insurance companies enforce strict limitations on accessing therapy, such as only allowing therapy when “medically necessary” and controlling the time and duration of treatment. In addition, whereas insurance companies reimburse specialist medical doctors at higher rates than they do primary care medical doctors, insurance companies reimburse mental health therapists at unfairly low rates across the board (regardless of number of years licensed, advanced certifications and trainings completed, or specialty). Lastly, there is more privacy afforded through a self-pay practice because New England Fertility Counseling PLLC is not share client notes, diagnoses, or other documentation from sessions with your insurance company.

Clients are free to seek reimbursement from your insurance company if this is something their insurance offers for out-of-network providers. Generally speaking, PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans offer the flexibility of allowing insurance holders to see out-of-network providers (in addition to in-network providers), whereas HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plans limit insurance holders to only in-network providers. Medicaid, MassHealth, etc. do not offer out-of-network benefits.

Invoices (receipts) for all services provided through New England Fertility Counseling, PLLC and super bills (which are created monthly and summarize the services provided to you each month with the cost of each service) are available via the online portal. Super bills are what clients submit to their insurance company (along with a subscriber out-of-network claim form). New England Fertility Counseling PLLC can also help you locate the appropriate subscriber out-of-network claim form, if needed.

What if I can’t afford the session fee?

(Updated February 20, 2024) If being able to afford therapy is a concern for any reason as a new client or current client, please let Katie as soon as possible and Katie will do her best to work something out with you. New England Fertility Counseling, PLLC has a limited number of sliding scale slots available, meaning Katie can offer a reduced session fee to clients who would experience financial hardship paying the full fee. For example, for those unable to afford the fees for individual and couples therapy, New England Fertility Counseling, PLLC may be able to offer a reduced fee. New England Fertility Counseling, PLLC offers this option in order to make therapy affordable for more people and to reduce systemic barriers to accessing therapy.

Sliding scale slots are reserved for clients who would be unable to access therapy without the option of sliding scale due to limited financial resources, and need for these slots is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Sliding scale can sometimes be a temporary arrangement (e.g. in the cases of unemployment, underemployment, being on unpaid or reduced pay family leave, or being a college or graduate student). Please note I have the right to reassess someone’s need for sliding scale as often as every three months. New England Fertility Counseling’s policy is that clients will have you sign a sliding scale contract agreement and the sliding scale contract will be periodically reviewed as appropriate for the specific client. For example, this could be every 3 months, every 6 months, until a job is secured, or until circumstances have changed/the person has more disposable income (e.g. a person is no longer unemployed, underemployed, or on unpaid or reduced pay maternity/paternity/family leave).