Insurance
Therapy that takes Ascension SmartHealth in Wisconsin
The health plan for Ascension associates, and yes, it covers therapists outside Ascension.
If you work for Ascension, this is probably your plan
SmartHealth is the employee health plan, so almost everyone carrying this card works for the health system or is on a family member’s coverage. If you are an associate at one of the Wisconsin hospitals or clinics, this is likely what you have.
Note
The concern people actually have
The question associates ask me most is not about cost. It is whether seeing a therapist means a colleague could come across their record.
I am an independent private practice with no connection to your employer. Your record is mine, held under the same confidentiality rules that apply to any therapy, and your workplace does not receive notes, diagnoses, or attendance. Your insurer processes a claim, exactly as it would for any medical appointment. That is the whole of it.
Your employee assistance programme is a separate thing
Most large employers offer an assistance programme alongside the health plan, usually run by an outside vendor and usually covering a small number of counselling sessions at no cost. It is genuinely useful and it is not the same as your insurance benefit.
The practical points: using assistance sessions does not consume your insurance benefit, the two have different provider lists, and assistance programmes are designed for short pieces of work rather than the longer arc trauma processing usually needs. Plenty of people use one and then move to the other.
What I’d ask them
- What is my cost for outpatient psychotherapy with a Licensed Professional Counselor outside the Ascension network?
- Does my deductible apply before that?
- Is telehealth covered at the same rate as in-person?
- Is an employee assistance programme available alongside this, and how many sessions does it cover?
Before you call me
How to check your own benefit
I can tell you I am in network. Only your plan can tell you what that means for your wallet, because the answer is set by your specific coverage rather than by the insurer as a whole.
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Look at the back of your card
The member services number is there. If there is a separate behavioral health or mental health line, use that one instead.
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Ask about your benefit
Ask whether seeing a therapist outside the Ascension system changes your cost. Associates often assume it does and never check.
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Write down what they tell you
Ask for a reference number for the call.
I’m licensed in Wisconsin only, so you need to be physically located in Wisconsin at the time of your session, whatever plan you carry.
Would rather not use insurance? Sessions are $125, and I keep a limited number of reduced-fee spots. More about fees
Get started
Curious about whether we could be a good fit?
Schedule a free 15 minute consultation. No pressure, and no need to explain everything up front.
Prefer to write? Email sunflowerstridescounseling@gmail.com. I reply within two business days.
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