[valcat]

Hi Everyone-
I haven't posted here in quite a while but I have a question.
I get 30 mental health visits per calendar year through my insurance and I just ran out. This happened last year as well and I ended up paying the $80 a visit (which is a reduced rate, but still), that is just so hard financially and I don't think I can do it right now. Last year my therapist tried talking with my insurance but they would never agree to more visits. I just don't know what to do. I'm in recovery from pill addiction right now and I also suffer from a mild form of borderline personality disorder, as well as depression. I thought I was feeling okay about the visits, but the more it sinks in the worse I feel. I just don't know what to do.

Thanks for listening.

[Sarah116]

Hey same prob here! To see my Psychologist I get 12 visits a year 20 dollars each now it is 80 dollars. To see the Psychiatrist it is around 400 dollars a visit! I can't believe it they are hungrey for money!

[Rapunzel]

Could you spread it out a little with maybe email or a phone call to check in once in a while in between visits? Maybe do a lot of journaling or have your T recommend a good self-help book that you can be working on and share your work with T when you are able to afford a visit? Find some way that you can be working on your issues and get the most possible out of the guidance you can get from your T. Support groups like this, or in person might help get you through too.

how about getting in contact with Narcotics Anonomous. It doesn't matter what your choice of pills or other drungs that were involved they help everyone that has or had a drug addiction of any kind. calling them they can tell you where your nearest branch is. That will give you some support and resourses to use. That way since you know you have a limited amount of sessions your mental health professional can space the sessions out so that you will have sessions from the beginning of a fiscal year on through to the next fiscal year. and then in between the therapy sessions you can be attending NA groups and activities that can help you stay on track between therapy appointments. NA is nation wide and also has branches in other countries besides the USA. you should be able to locate them in the phone book under drug and alcohol treatment.

[JustBen]

Yeah, support groups are a great idea. You could also try to find some reduced-fee or free services in your area...not as good as keeping on with your therapist, but maybe enough to hold you over.

Maybe next year you could try spreading your schedule out so you have support all year. One session every other week would carry you through the whole year.

[kimmydawn]

valcat,

i'm sorry. years ago i had a similar insurance. it can be so hard.

can you contact your local community mental health center and try to get in to see someone there in this time of no insurance, then get back with your t at the beginning of the year?

thoughts to you...

KD

[eskielover]

I have had the problem that the psychologist wouldn't just take what medicare paid & it was costing me $50 each session (4 sessions / month = $200/month). I got to the point where I just couldn't afford it anymore. I ended up going back to my previous psychologist that is willing to just take what medicare pays. I am lucky because he is a wonderful psychologist. I am also lucky in that my pdoc does the same in that he is willing to take only what medicare pays.

When I was looking into the possibility of hypnotherapy or EMDR, my pdoc's wife is a hypnotherapist that works out of his office too. The only problem is that she doesn't take medicare.......it would cost me the whole amount & no way can I afford that. He also told me that most T's that do EMDR work the same way in that they usually don't take medicare or if they do, it doesn't cover the whole amount that they charge.

I find it very sad that it is impossible to afford the treatment that can possibly make a big difference in our treatment. There is something wrong with the cost of treatment & the fact that only people who are either rich or people who have a law suit that forces payment by something like workman's comp are the only ones who are able to get the best possible help.

This makes me very angry & wonder why the everyone is so greedy to get so much money & that treatment of people in need isn't taken into consideration.

I can really understand your frustration.......you need the support & it is hard to find the help & support that can really help you. It is hard to have to lean on self help books or group meetings. I know for me, that individual help is about the only thing that really works.

I hope you can find help that can get you through the rest of the year. Maybe next year you can spread your sessions out to every other week & be able to communicate over the phone or email between sessions. It is sad that we have to do without because of insurance.....it's just all wrong.

Debbie