[Miracle1986]

Found a T that I really want to want with... but Medicare won't cover her because she is a professional counselor and Medicare and Medicaid and will not cover Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC). They only cover Licensed Social Workers (LCSW), PhDs, PsyDs and MDs. The T told me that they have been promised parity for years but it hasn't come through yet. This is total bullcrap!!! I have been looking for a T for so long!!! I am started to feel like it is hopeless.

I like to list things so here goes:

1. My condolences on not getting help. Nothing is truely hopeless though. You may find a T in a later date. A social worker is not a bad option if you're not too picky about specifics in who you get help from. Keep searching.

2. I'd hate to turn this into a political thing but I couldn't help myself. Medicare and Medcaid are social programs. Who wants to get rid of all social programs and leave everyone to be on their own? The corporate republicans in congress... If you want this to change, try looking at progressive politics and get involved somehow. Spread the word and good luck!

[ECHOES]

Originally Posted by Miracle1986

Found a T that I really want to want with... but Medicare won't cover her because she is a professional counselor and Medicare and Medicaid and will not cover Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC). They only cover Licensed Social Workers (LCSW), PhDs, PsyDs and MDs. The T told me that they have been promised parity for years but it hasn't come through yet. This is total bullcrap!!! I have been looking for a T for so long!!! I am started to feel like it is hopeless.

Ask the therapist you found if she knows a therapist who Medicare covers.

When I was looking for a T, my T was originally covered by insurance, then my insurance changed. No big deal because deductible is sky high. Anyway, my T offered to help me find someone on my insurance if she could, and she knew I didn't want a certain type of therapy and she knew of some who offered the therapy I wanted but who didn't list it as an area of expertise because it isn't popular with insurance. So the therapist you found might be able to help you find what you want.

[Perna]

It is not Medicare's fault; it's Congress'. A bill was introduced in in the Senate in March 2011 and is sitting in their Committee on Finance. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:s.604. Write your Senator/Congress people but I kind of doubt they are going to broaden expenses in this economy.

[Caretaker Leo]

Please email or call your Reps in Washington with your concerns. There are a number of professionals who are not included/allowed under Medicare coverage and many of them have petitions requesting that they are added.

At the same time, please do see if you can find someone who Medicare covers. Due to the budget constraints, we will not be able to have everything that we might want.

(Just a plea as a side comment - this has nothing to do with political parties - it has everything to do with budget money available. Limited $ supply these days for everything that citizens would like to have).