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Community Support Team Chat Leader
Member Since May 2001
Location: Greater Boston, MA
Posts: 13,645
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#1
This forum is for the discussion of paying for treatment -- the pitfalls and ways to navigate the multitudes of health care systems.
Enjoy! DocJohn __________________ Don't throw away your shot. |
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Buffy01, MickeyCheeky
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Buffy01, by.grace, CalamityJane425, Christina86, doneast142, Katileena, LadyShadow, MickeyCheeky, OrangeMoira, Rhiannonsmoon, Thelost1ssoul, wanttoheal
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Member
Member Since Apr 2010
Posts: 23
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#2
I don't. There are many places to get therapy that are non profit organizations. If you don't have the cash, you do not have to pay... or you just pay what you can.
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Buffy01, doneast142, MickeyCheeky
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Buffy01, MickeyCheeky
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Pandita-in-training
Member Since Sep 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 27,289
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#3
I wish there were more systems like this Hartford, Connecticut one, where you trade volunteer hours for therapy!
http://www.ctvip.org/scripts/index.asp __________________ "Never give a sword to a man who can't dance." ~Confucius |
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MickeyCheeky
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geez, MickeyCheeky
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Magnate
Member Since Nov 2009
Location: Independence, MO
Posts: 2,609
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#4
The only treatment that I have to pay for is my ED T, my dietician, and any hospital visits. All of which are on a sliding fee scale. My pdoc participates in something called the LEVY program, so my visits there are paid for by this grant. My SA T is through an organization that offers free therapy. My DV T generally charges $2 a session, but I have yet to pay that in my almost 3 yrs. I am so thankful that I live in a community that has these resources, I would not be able to afford treatment if they weren't here.
__________________ C'est la vie |
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Pandita-in-training
Member Since Sep 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 27,289
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#5
__________________ "Never give a sword to a man who can't dance." ~Confucius |
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Moderator
Community Support Team Member Since Mar 2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 11,512
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#6
I pay for my psychologist almost entirely out of pocket, at $160 / session. My private, supplemental health insurance through work, will only reimburse me $1,000 a year. I've just told her I have to go to seeing her every other week rather than weekly because I simply can't afford weekly right now.
My addictions Dr. and addictions treatment groups are funded by our public health care. I'm going to see if I can increase my private appointments with my addictions Dr. now that I'm not seeeing my psychologist so oftern. My psychiatrist is paid for by public health care. And my last stay in a psych hospital (8 weeks) was completely paid for by public health care. I feel really lucky to have public health care, and definitely feel like I'm getting my money's worth from my tax dollars that fund it. --splitimage |
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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#7
I pay for my mental health services with insurance through my husband's employer. We pay standard co-pays that are no different than any other specialist service.
In addition, my employer offers Flexible Medical Spending account. It is a paycheck deduction (pre-tax) that goes into an account which covers medical expenses not covered by insurance such as co-pays, dental, etc. For instance, we choose to claim the entire $5000/year in our FMS account. We are given a debit card (a VISA I think) that we use to pay our copays for appointments, prescriptions, dental, vision, etc. The entire $5000 is available to us at the start of the year. Each month, my paycheck has a deduction to pay for the $5000 ($466 a month I think). The only thing to be careful of is that if you don't use the amount you claim, at the end of the year you lose what is left over (we've never had that problem which tells you how high our medical bills are). If your employer offers this option, it is certainly worth looking into. You can claim whatever amount you want up to a $5000 maximum. For us it is the peace of mind that we don't have to put our health on the back burner. The money is always there (unless we run through the debit amount before the year is up). |
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Feb 2009
Location: usa
Posts: 1,730
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#8
My situation is much like Farmergirl's, only the insurance is through my employer instead of hubby's. I pay $30 a week copay for my Psych NP that does my therapy as well as prescribing my meds. I am lucky, my meds cost a grand total of $4 per month!
I also use my flex spending account to pay my copays. __________________ "Unipolar is boring! Go Bipolar!" Amazonmom is not putting up with bad behavior any more. |
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Sep 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 1,728
17 |
#9
I pay out of pocket because my insurance considers my mental illness a pre-existing condition, so they will pay for nothing to with it, not therapy, med visits or prescriptions. Even if they did 'cover' it, psychiatric services have a $1500 deductible that must be met before they pay a penny, then when they do start coverage is only 60%, with me paying the other 40%. I would actually have to pay far, far more for my care than I do now if my insurance did cover it.
__________________ "School is shortened, discipline relaxed, philosophies, histories, languages dropped, English and spelling gradually gradually neglected, finally almost completely ignored. Life is immediate, the job counts, pleasure lies all about after work. Why learn anything save pressing buttons, pulling switches, fitting nuts and bolts?" Bradbury, Ray Fahrenheit 451 p 55-56 |
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Grand Magnate
Member Since Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,584
15 |
#10
We use private insurance....helps greatly Each session is about $45, every other week. Pdoc is $20.
__________________ Only you can prevent neurotypical jerkiness!
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Sep 2009
Posts: 1,660
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#11
I am very fortunate to have a T who is able to charge as little as $50/session. It's her sliding scale fee. I have no insurance. This $200/mo is still a major hardship as I only make $25,000 a year and am also paying off student loans, but it is worth it since I want to be a psychologist and I need to make sure my mental health struggles don't get in the way of my chosen career.
__________________ He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away. |
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Grand Magnate
Member Since Apr 2010
Posts: 3,067
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#12
Depending on the treatment and medication, either out the nose or with an arm and a leg.
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Legendary
Member Since Aug 2007
Location: West of Tampa Bay, East of the Gulf of Mexico
Posts: 14,352
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#13
lol, Umbral Seraph.
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Member
Member Since Aug 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 100
15 |
#14
I have to say I'm very fortunate to have excellent insurance coverage. Without it, I wouldn't be able to go to any of my doctors at all. Just 2 of my meds together cost almost $5000 per month and I only have to pay the $18 copay thankfully. That isn't counting the other 10 medications I'm taking..some of them I don't pay for because I fill them at the military base. I feel bad because I don't see how other people without insurance can get the care that they deserve and they have every right to be seen and helped where they can also afford it.
__________________ My dog is the best therapist I could ever ask for! |
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Legendary
Member Since Jan 2007
Location: U.S.
Posts: 10,383
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#15
I pay 100% out of pocket for my therapist because therapists with his credential are not reimbursed by my insurance plan. Just recently he upgraded his credential, so I now will have the option of getting 60% of his fee reimbursed, if I submit the paperwork to my insurance company. (My therapist does not bill any insurance himself.) I am not sure if I will do this or not. Lots to think about.
My insurance does pay 85% of my PNP's fee. I see her every two months. __________________ "Therapists are experts at developing therapeutic relationships." |
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Member
Member Since Aug 2009
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 177
15 |
#16
Okay, so far everyone has been saying they have insurance or pay out of pocket. What if you don't have insurance AND do not have the money to pay out of pocket? Then what? I'm currently not in therapy nor go to doctor's for this exact reason....financially I cannot go. What is there for people who are uninsured and have little to no income? (I know Obamacare will take another 4 years to take effect.) I might have the option to join my parents plan once the age limit of 27 applies, but until then, I've got nothing.
__________________ ~Like a Butterfly, one day I'll break out of myself and fly freely. |
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Member
Member Since Apr 2010
Posts: 174
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#17
It depends on what state you're in. Some have excellent free crisis care. Others require payment. But that's only for a crisis. I have never found a good solution myself for the ongoing care. I am fortunate that my PCP gives me samples of my meds cause I sure can't afford them.
__________________ CindyLuWho “Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." Christopher Robin to Pooh "It will all be OK in the end. If it's not OK, it's not the end." |
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Poohbah
Member Since Jun 2005
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,474
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#18
I'm in Canada and I don't pay much for my treatment. I pay a maximum of 4% of my income a year on medications and I see my pdoc for medication and therapy every 2 weeks. I don't pay to see pdoc. I am covered by our provincial health plan. I don't make a lot of money so I don't pay much tax. Last year I paid about $320 on my medications, the rest was paid for by the government.
I''ve been to the psychward once and that was all paid for by our government health plan. I would say I am getting a lot of value for my money. I'm very lucky to have such a great pdoc who I can see every 2 weeks for therapy and meds. __________________ |
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MickeyCheeky
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MickeyCheeky
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Legendary
Member Since Aug 2007
Location: West of Tampa Bay, East of the Gulf of Mexico
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#19
Quote:
Are you in school? Many colleges offer services on campus. Do you work but they don't offer insurance? Could you do that work for a company that does offer insurance? Could your parents help with this expense? Many communities have community mental health services that are inexpensive or free. They would be listed in your phone book or you might Google "mental health services in X" (X=your community). Here is an article from the PC newsletter. The article is titled: Mental Health and Money: For Those Without Insurance, Try These Options http://blogs.psychcentral.com/anxiet...lth-and-money/ I hope this helps. |
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MickeyCheeky
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geez, MickeyCheeky
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Pandita-in-training
Member Since Sep 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 27,289
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#20
Kaitileena, check out Wisconsin's social services and the Federal Government site:
http://www.mhc.state.wi.us/links.htm http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/databases/ http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/areaadmin/HSDListing.asp __________________ "Never give a sword to a man who can't dance." ~Confucius |
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MickeyCheeky
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geez, MickeyCheeky
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