What to ask about cost, insurance, and scheduling before your first appointment

Cost and logistics questions are easy to forget in a first conversation focused on a child or your own needs, but getting clear answers up front avoids surprises later. These are worth asking before the first appointment, not during it.

Cost and insurance

• Is this practice in-network with your insurance, and what does that actually cover?
• What is the estimated cost per session if it is out-of-network or self-pay?
• Does the practice require a doctor’s referral or a specific diagnosis code for insurance to cover it?
• Is there a sliding scale or payment plan option if cost is a barrier?

Scheduling and logistics

• What is the current wait time for a first evaluation, and then for ongoing sessions?
• How often are sessions typically scheduled, and for how long?
• Is telehealth available, and for which parts of care?
• What happens if a session needs to be cancelled or rescheduled — is there a fee?

Why asking early matters

Practices vary widely on all of these, and none of it is standard across providers. A practice that seems like a great fit clinically can still be impractical if the wait time or cost doesn’t work for your family — better to know that in the first call than after several sessions.

The companion article on a therapist’s approach and experience covers the clinical side of these same early questions.