[AllyIsHopeful]

So there was another thread that reminded me of this concern of a therapist not being honest about your diagnosis. I have often wondered if she was telling me the truth, what my real diagnosis was, or if she even had a set diagnosis for me. She has bounced from wall-to-wall so much between different possibilities that I am just confused now. It's honestly not extremely important for me to have a diagnosis, but I feel it would help me understand what therapeutic approach may work best for me to continue personal healing and growth. In that sense, it is important.

So here's my question. Do all therapists (if you go through insurance) have to report some type of diagnosis to your insurance? If that's the case, wouldn't it be possible to call your insurance and get that information from them? (exactly what was reported)

I'm just curious.

[Rapunzel]

Insurance generally requires a diagnosis and treatment updates of some kind. However, the insurance company isn't authorized to release that information to anyone. I did once get a copy of a bill that was sent to my insurance company and for some reason forwarded to me, and I looked up the codes that were on the bill and found out what diagnoses were being billed for that way. It was more than 20 years ago though. I don't know if the same thing would have a chance of happening now.

Honestly, you are better off just asking your T about your diagnosis. I am a therapist now, and honestly I send the most minimal information possible to insurance companies. I just don't think that it is any of their business beyond what they need to know that there is a diagnosis that they cover and the treatment that I provide is appropriate. I'm willing to tell my clients what they want to know about themselves and their treatment and discuss why I think that they have that diagnosis. I appreciate having the chance to discuss and explain it to them. Not everybody wants a diagnosis, so if someone doesn't ask I may not bring it up.

[JaneC]

Hi Hope.
I had a T once that was awful and one of the reasons was because each session she kept coming up with a 'new' possibility of what a diagnosis might be for me. It was not useful at all and I ended walking out on her for this amongst other reasons.

I asked my current T after a few months what my diagnosis was and he said he had not looked on the system as he had come to his own conclusion. We looked together and I disagreed with what was on there. He used it as an opportunity for me to practise asking for what I wanted and so I asked that the Psychiatrist rework my diagnosis with my T. They did and I am content with the diagnosis that is now on my medical files.

Like you may, I found it really useful to know as it gave me a place to research from and form my own opinions of what may and not be available and best for me to help make the changes I want to make. Not because I want to have a label for what I a experiencing.

I would suggest just asking. Goodluck

[HazelGirl]

My T did not ever give me a firm diagnosis. She just made possible suggestions. It wasn't until I went to a psychiatrist and told her everything my T had suggested that I got a firm "this is exactly what is wrong with you".

[stopdog]

Insurance does require a code of some sort. Therapists and psychiatrists do not know for sure anything and often disagree or change. I represent people in the mental health care system and some people get different diagnoses with every involuntary detention. It often depends on the evaluator and not the client from my experience.

[Mactastic]

My T has diagnosed me only for insurance purposes and he told me that. On all my receipts there's a DSM code 309, which is Adjustment Disorder. He told me on my 2nd visit that he wasn't diagnosing me but that if he didn't put a code my ins co would likely stop reimbursing me. He told me not to dwell on the code and that he picked it because in his experience it's the best 'umbrella code' that ins co's don't question. Sometimes I want to bring up my 'diagnosis' but I'm scared.

[Lauliza]

Pdocs and Ts have to give a diagnosis in order to get paid by insurance companies. My insurance company has an online system where patients can access all their office visit summaries which includes visits with psychiatrists and therapists. In those summaries my diagnoses they reported. I don't know if all insurance companies have sites like this but its worth looking into. I also get statements from the insurance co. in the mail, but they just give the office visit code, not the code for diagnosis.

[ListenMoreTalkLess]

Originally Posted by Hopelessly Hopeful

Do all therapists (if you go through insurance) have to report some type of diagnosis to your insurance? If that's the case, wouldn't it be possible to call your insurance and get that information from them? (exactly what was reported)

The organization where my T works has held onto some of their old school practices with insurance, which is to diagnose all clients with "adjustment disorder" and leave it at that. I say old school because at least some T's believe that mental health is the client's business and the insurance company ought to know as little as possible, including the client's "real" diagnoses. When I hit the 2 year mark with my T, she told me that my insurance was onto their practice and was insisting on a "real" diagnosis, so she asked me what I thought should be reported, and suggested PTSD or depression. I thought that PTSD fit more accurately, and told her to diagnose me with that.

I would suggest that you deal with this directly with your T rather than indirectly with your insurance company. Just ask your T. It's a therapeutic issue and my guess is that much could be learned from this interaction.

[AllyIsHopeful]

Thanks for the info, everyone! Much appreciated!