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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mandinka on October 24, 2004, at 1:32:28
Skittles question about fees made me wonder: which insurance plan out there covers in a decent degree visits to Ts? I'm a garden variety neurotic, so the plan I have doesn't cover me unfortunately - just people with more serious conditions.
Posted by Dinah on October 24, 2004, at 9:19:21
In reply to Insurance for psychotherapy?, posted by mandinka on October 24, 2004, at 1:32:28
I've always been glad my therapist isn't on my insurance plan. I'd *hate* to have someone looking over my sessions and deciding how many more I need. It's bad enough that my insurance company sees my multitude of medications and my psychiatrist bills.
But I'm glad I have a flexible spending plan that allows me to pay pretax for at least some of it. I usually go over. :( As long as I have a prescription from my pdoc for therapy, and it's not for personal growth rather than medical purposes. (And as my therapist says - PERSONAL GROWTH!!! OF COURSE NOT!! with an insulting degree of enthusiasm and alacrity).
Can you derive any tax benefits at least from your therapy?
Posted by Miss Honeychurch on October 24, 2004, at 11:22:47
In reply to Insurance for psychotherapy?, posted by mandinka on October 24, 2004, at 1:32:28
I have been VERY fortunate with my mental health insurance. I've been in therapy for 1.3 years and my insurance company keeps giving me sessions. You could say I am also a garden variety neurotic, diagnosed with GAD.
LAst year I was on Magellan (thru Anthem BC/BS) and now I'm on Value Options. I know a lot of plans give you a maximum number of sessions and then you'tre on your own. But so far so good for me. I think my T is very good at writing/talking to these people. And I know I'm pretty fortunate. I work for the state of Virginia so I'm grateful they value mental health so highly.
Posted by Speaker on October 24, 2004, at 22:49:05
In reply to Re: Insurance for psychotherapy?, posted by Miss Honeychurch on October 24, 2004, at 11:22:47
My old ins. paid 50% of all mental health. My new ins. pays 50% of each visit up to 26 visits per year. Sooooooo I guess I can only need to see my T every other week instead of 2x a week :). It adds up at 110 for 50 min. and we do 1 reg session and one double session a week. Of course, I file the double sessions! But at $330 a week it's a huge expense.
Posted by mandinka on October 25, 2004, at 2:06:29
In reply to Re: Insurance for psychotherapy? » mandinka, posted by Dinah on October 24, 2004, at 9:19:21
Thanks guys! I'll have to look into the pretax issue. This might be possible. With my T expenses amounting to 180 dollars per week, any deductions would be welcome!
It's so annoying that mental health is treated like cosmetic surgery - you don't REALLY need it, right?... Big rolleyes:)
I like your T's twisted sense of humor, Dinah. :)
Posted by joslynn on October 25, 2004, at 9:11:54
In reply to Re: Insurance for psychotherapy?, posted by mandinka on October 25, 2004, at 2:06:29
I have Magellan thru Aetna. I was diagnosed with recurrent depression. Because my T is out of network, I have to pay a 250 deductible, then they pay 70% of 20 visits. After that, I am on my own. That is the official poilcy, but I haven't tried to negotiatie more because I have been procrastinating about making tedious calls to an insurance company when I am at work.
Pdoc, they pay 70% and I don't think there is a limit on that because he is an MD.
What I don't undestand about mental health insurance is this: Why can't they realize that paying for more therapy visits would probably decrease the amount of money they paid out in the long-run for emergency health care, i.e., hospitalization for severe depression, ER visits for someone who is suicidal, etc.
However, I am glad that they pay something.And maybe they would pay more of I would just call or write to state my case. But I know that would probably be tedious, lost of time on hold, etc., so not looking forward to that.
My T usually reduces her rate after I use up my benefits, but sometimes I feel shy about asking for this option again when it's around "that time of year."
Posted by caraher on October 25, 2004, at 10:23:08
In reply to Re: Insurance for psychotherapy?, posted by mandinka on October 25, 2004, at 2:06:29
> It's so annoying that mental health is treated like cosmetic surgery - you don't REALLY need it, right?... Big rolleyes:)I was a member of a panel discussing depression on college campuses and got a good laugh from a crack about how "full health benefits" in the US means your teeth and your sanity are optional. (Someone in teh audience correctly added vision to that list...)
Posted by Poet on October 25, 2004, at 12:15:06
In reply to Insurance for psychotherapy?, posted by mandinka on October 24, 2004, at 1:32:28
My plan covers 20 therapy sessions from my T at 70 percent, less a $250 deductible. Her insurance billing rate is $125 per hour. Before I got on this insurance I paid her $60 per session.
Pdoc is covered 80 percent for 20 sessions with a separate $250 deductible. His insurance billing rate is $125 for 20-30 minutes. Cheap he is not.
What I want to know is how do the insurance companies figure out that 20 sessions is enough? Do they sit around saying *the average neurotic should be cured in 19 sessions, but we'll be nice and add one more so it's an even number?* As for people with more complex problems, we'll give them a generous 25 days in the psych hospital with a $250 deductible... And no outpatient care, 'cause they probably already used it up before they went in.
Poet
Posted by Speaker on October 25, 2004, at 12:40:59
In reply to Re: Insurance for psychotherapy?, posted by caraher on October 25, 2004, at 10:23:08
Posted by mandinka on October 25, 2004, at 20:04:59
In reply to Re: Insurance for psychotherapy?, posted by caraher on October 25, 2004, at 10:23:08
How very true! LOL
Posted by Annierose on October 25, 2004, at 21:31:07
In reply to Re: Insurance for psychotherapy?, posted by joslynn on October 25, 2004, at 9:11:54
You may want to ask your T to write that letter.
Most insurance companies will seriously listen to the *professional* rather than the client.
Posted by Joslynn on October 25, 2004, at 21:59:08
In reply to Re: Insurance for psychotherapy? » joslynn, posted by Annierose on October 25, 2004, at 21:31:07
Oh! Good idea, I didn't even think about that.
Posted by Annierose on October 25, 2004, at 22:04:21
In reply to Re: Insurance for psychotherapy? » Annierose, posted by Joslynn on October 25, 2004, at 21:59:08
Your welcome! Years ago my T wrote a letter on my behalf. They changed their minds, from paying not a penny to 100% of the fee, until I got stupid and quit! Wish I had that insurance policy again :( ... Oh well, it was good while it lasted.
Posted by alexandra_k on October 25, 2004, at 23:09:55
In reply to Insurance for psychotherapy?, posted by mandinka on October 24, 2004, at 1:32:28
Golly gee, as a future claimant on health insurance I am very interested in entitlements and have read the above thread with much interest.
Best I can figure is I will have a $10 surcharge on visits and a once off payment of $200 for hospitilisations (mental health ones).
I have heard a little about some clinicians being slightly, well, 'creative' with diagnoses in these days of managed health care. I mean, your garden variety neurotic should surely meet criteria for generalised anxiety, and then there are a variety of depressions, maybe a phobia or two... (I am being slightly tongue in cheek).
Seriously, though I can't believe how competant psychotherapy is fairly much a luxury for the rich. But then it is hard to objectively measure just how much they are saving at the end of the day...
Posted by alexandra_k on October 26, 2004, at 19:30:52
In reply to Re: Insurance for psychotherapy?, posted by alexandra_k on October 25, 2004, at 23:09:55
And I think you get round about 50 american cents per $1 NZ. Not sure whether you pay less for things though, and whether you get paid less.
I know in Austrailia you get around 80 cents for a NZ dollar, but you just have to cut your losses as coke and bread costs the same if not more (the staples of any balanced diet) :-)
Thats why this is a nice place to bring your savings and immigrate to.
And then there is tipping. How do mathematically incompetant people (such as myself) work that one out? Pocket calculator?
This is the end of the thread.
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