Financial Information, Fees & Transparency

At The Mending Forge Therapy & Wellness Center LLC, we believe that trust begins with transparency. We understand that beginning therapy is both an emotional and financial investment, and we are committed to ensuring you understand the cost of your care before treatment begins.

Our goal is to provide exceptional, relationship-centered care while eliminating unexpected financial surprises. We encourage every client to ask questions about fees, billing, treatment recommendations, or any aspect of the therapeutic process at any time.

Private-Pay Practice

The Mending Forge Therapy & Wellness Center is a private-pay practice and does not participate with insurance companies.
By remaining out-of-network, we are able to invest more deeply in individualized treatment, thoughtful preparation, and the therapeutic relationship. This allows us to provide care centered around your unique needs—not insurance limitations or authorization requirements.

Payment is due at the time services are rendered. As a courtesy, we are happy to provide you with a superbill that you may submit to your insurance company for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Please note that submission of a superbill does not guarantee reimbursement. Any reimbursement is determined solely by your individual insurance plan.

Understanding the No Surprises Act

The No Surprises Act is a federal law that became effective on January 1, 2022, to help protect patients from unexpected healthcare costs and improve transparency regarding medical expenses before services are provided.

Among its many consumer protections, the law requires healthcare providers to furnish Good Faith Estimates to individuals who are uninsured or who choose not to use their insurance benefits.

To learn more about the No Surprises Act and your rights as a patient, please visit:

https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises

What Is a Good Faith Estimate?

A Good Faith Estimate (GFE) is one of the consumer protections established under the No Surprises Act. It is a written estimate of the reasonably expected charges for your healthcare services before treatment begins.

If you are uninsured or choose not to use your insurance benefits, you have the right to receive a personalized Good Faith Estimate before your first appointment.

Because therapy is individualized, a Good Faith Estimate is exactly that—an estimate. It is based upon the information available at the time it is prepared. As treatment progresses, recommendations may change based on your diagnosis, treatment goals, clinical progress, and ongoing discussions with your therapist.

To learn more about Good Faith Estimates, please visit:

https://www.cms.gov/medical-bill-rights/help/guides/good-faith-estimate

Our Commitment to Financial Transparency

Before your first appointment, you will receive an individualized Good Faith Estimate outlining the anticipated cost of your care based upon the information available at that time.

Throughout therapy, your therapist, Edith (Edie) Appleton, LCSW, will regularly discuss your progress toward treatment goals and encourage open conversations regarding your therapeutic journey. Together, you and your therapist will determine whether treatment goals have been achieved, whether continued services are recommended, or whether changes to your treatment plan are appropriate.

Because every person's therapeutic journey is unique, it is impossible to predict exactly how many sessions someone may need.

 

Some clients reach their goals within only a few sessions. Others benefit from therapy over several months or longer. Some individuals successfully complete treatment and later choose to return during another season of life when additional support would be beneficial.

To promote financial transparency, The Mending Forge Therapy & Wellness Center provides the example below based on one initial intake evaluation followed by fifty weekly therapy sessions. This example is intended solely for planning purposes and should not be interpreted as a recommendation that every client will require one year of therapy.

All fees charged by The Mending Forge Therapy & Wellness Center are disclosed before services are provided. Our fee schedule is included in your intake paperwork, your the Good Faith Estimate provided to you before your appointment, and on this website.

Payment is due at the time services are rendered. This includes scheduled therapy appointments, late cancellations, missed appointments, court involvement, consultations, professional communications, record requests, and any other agreed-upon professional services. Because payment is collected when services are provided, clients should not receive unexpected balances for previously rendered services.

Should our fee schedule change, all clients will receive written notice before the updated fees become effective.

Estimated Cost Example

One Initial Intake Evaluation (90791) — $180

50 Weekly Individual Therapy Sessions (90834) — $150 per session

Estimated Total

• Initial Intake Evaluation: $180

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• 52 Individual Therapy Sessions: $7,800

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Estimated Total Cost: $7,980

This estimate is provided for planning purposes only. Actual treatment recommendations and total costs vary based on each client's unique needs.

Therapy Service Fees

Initial Intake Evaluation
CPT Code 90791 — $180

Individual Therapy
CPT Code 90834 — $150

Family Psychotherapy Without the Patient
CPT Code 90846 — $150

Family Psychotherapy With the Patient
CPT Code 90847 — $150

Cancellation Policy
Appointments canceled with less than 24 hours' notice, or missed appointments, will be charged the full scheduled session fee which can be up to $180 depending on the session type scheduled. 

Professional Communications
Phone calls, emails, or text communications requiring more than 10 minutes of professional time may be billed at $5.49 per minute.

Court Involvement

Court-related services require a separate signed agreement before services are provided.

Court-related services may include:

• Record review

• Court preparation

• Communication with attorneys or other involved parties

• Depositions

• Court testimony

• Travel time

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A $2,000 retainer is required before court-related services begin.
Court-related services are billed at $250 per hour, with charges deducted from the retainer. Should additional retainer funds become necessary, written notice will be provided.

Because time is reserved away from client appointments to prepare for and attend legal proceedings, retainers are non-refundable, even if a hearing or court appearance is canceled or rescheduled.

 

Record Requests
A completed authorization and payment are required before records are released.
Record Request Fee: $25

Questions?
We understand that financial policies can sometimes feel overwhelming. If you have any questions about our fees, Good Faith Estimates, payment policies, or any aspect of your financial responsibility, we encourage you to contact us before your first appointment. We are committed to providing clear, honest communication so you can begin your therapeutic journey with confidence.