Using Superbills for Therapy: How to Advocate for Care When Insurance Changes

At TDM, we believe therapy should feel supportive—not just emotionally, but logistically too. As insurance policies and mental health benefits shift from year to year, many clients find themselves unsure of how those changes may impact their care.

What we want you to know is this: you don’t have to navigate those changes alone.

One option that may help is using a superbill.

A superbill is a detailed receipt you can submit directly to your insurance company for potential reimbursement when working with an out-of-network therapist. While reimbursement is never guaranteed, superbills can still play an important role in advocating for care that is meaningful and helpful to you.

Here’s how a superbill may support you:

You maintain choice and autonomy
Superbills allow you to continue working with a therapist who feels aligned with your needs, values, and goals—rather than being limited by in-network availability.

You may receive partial reimbursement
If your plan includes out-of-network mental health benefits, your insurance may reimburse a percentage of your session fee once your deductible is met. Insurance coverage can change, but this option gives you a pathway to explore what support may still be available.

Your sessions remain legitimate out-of-pocket medical expenses
Even if your insurance does not reimburse you, therapy paid out of pocket is still a valid healthcare expense. Superbills can be helpful documentation for:

• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

• Medical expense tracking

• Future insurance appeals or benefit reviews

• Situations where proof of ongoing mental health care is required

You have documentation that supports advocacy
Superbills include the clinical and billing information insurers typically request. Having this documentation allows you—and us—to advocate more clearly for the care you are receiving, even when systems feel unclear or restrictive.

Getting started may look like this:

• Contact your insurance provider and ask:

  • Do I have out-of-network mental health benefits?

  • What is my deductible, and has it been met?

  • What percentage of each session may be reimbursed?

  • Will my sessions be documented under out of pocket costs and count towards my out-of-pocket maximum?

• Submit your superbill through your insurance portal or by mail, depending on your provider.

• Keep copies for your records and track any responses or reimbursements.

A note of care:
Insurance systems change, and navigating them can be frustrating. Difficulty with reimbursement is not a reflection of the value of your care—or of you. Advocacy is often a process, and support makes a difference.

If you have questions about superbills, want help understanding insurance changes this year, or need support advocating for care that truly serves you, we are here.

Your care matters. Your access matters. And you don’t have to figure this out on your own.