Quote:
Originally Posted by Amyjay
In the USA do you have to have a formal diagnosis in order to get your health insurance to pay for sessions? 
Surely not! That would be completely idiotic. That would of course cause gross over and mis-diagnosis. Surely that is not the case... |
You have to have a working diagnosis of some kind. That's why the DSM incorporates an NOS (not otherwise specified option within each disorder). Then, as you learn more, you can refine the diagnosis.
But I will say that, working in a psych hospital in the US, you definitely collect ill-fitting diagnoses sometimes, whether it's a past treater that gave it to you or from you yourself, which is generally listed as "per patient report."