[scorpiosis37]

After my old T retired, it took me about 9 months to find a new T was even just "okay." She told me she meet my two criteria fo a new T (1) bill my insurance for appointments and (2) available for long-term therapy. As I think I mentioned in a previous post, it turns out she was already pregnant during our first session and informed me four months in to our work together. Totally not cool; she is quitting in February. Worse, she has been insisting on payment for sessions up front and then failing to submit claims to my insurance company. She keeps saying she will do it, but never does. I'm owed $1300 from my insurance company and it turns out she hasn't sent in a single claim. I told her I don't trust her anymore and need her to give me the paperwork so I can get reimbursed-- she said okay-- and then forgot! I told her I desperatley need that money and she said "okay, maybe I can send it in the mail by Friday" and then she demanded payment for a session I cancelled 2 days in advance because I had the flu. She also informed me that the session that I did over the phone with her (at her suggestion) because I was still recovering from the flu and didn't want to risk getting her sick because she's 7 months pregnant will NOt be covered by insurance. Then, after charging me for these sessions on the principle that I have a recurring appointment and have to pay if I don't show up-- she told me I had no more sessions scheduled. According to her, we set a day & time for 2 months-- but that isn't true. She said "indefinitely" when we by set the day and time. So I have paid $650 over 4 weeks for a total of one session-- and am separately owed $1300 in claims she forgot to file and can't find the paperwork for.

In addition to the financial problems, she sucks as a T and has been utterly useless not to mention cold and insensitive. I'm contemplating a career change because I'm depressed and miserable in my current department, and I told her I'm so stressed out about it that I feel like I can't eat or sleep until I have a plan of "next steps" in place. The purpose of my session today was to talk through those next steps. But she said she couldn't do that because she didn't know anything about my career, so she told me that instead of planning my career change I should just see a psychiatrist for pills. I told her that I've never had any reason to take medicine; the problem is not a chemical imbalance-- the problem is that I am unhappy in my career. I have done the work of identifying an alternative career option and want to talk it out to make sure I am making the right choice and going about it in the best way possible. All she did was keep asking me how I feel about my department chair and alternative ways I could interpret his interactions with me. I kept explaining to her that academia is not about a handful of personal interactions-- it's a complicated system of publishing, tenure requirements, university bureaucracy, departmental service, and 80 hour weeks for comparatively low salaries and benefits. I'm sacrificing my personal relationships, me time, exercise time, and life satisfaction to keep up with the publishing clock and I don't think it's worth it anymore. I want to start a family and have time to enjoy life. My T just refused to listen to any of this and wanted to talk about how I can succeed in academia if I try. I kept telling her that I am succeeding-- but I hate it. I shouldn't keep doing something I hate if I have alternative options. So I'm frustrated that I spent a lot of money for her to make me feel worse-- more misunderstood, more alone, and more taken advantage of. It seems crystal clear that i am just a paycheck and she doesn't care or listen to a word I have to say. I don't think I will go back again.

[skeksi]

That's a terrible situation. Since she can't keep to the terms you agreed, I definitely think you should not return, and also because she is not helping.

Did she have you sign paperwork at the beginning of your work together that specified things about billing--like that she would file insurance for you, or that phone sessions were not covered by insurance?

I would send her a registered letter requesting that she send you the paperwork to file with insurance within 7 days or you will take legal action. You can't get the money you are owed until she does that, and she needs something more than reminders and requests, apparently. I'm sorry you have to go through this.

[magicalprince]

Wow. She sounds like a thoroughly awful T. You don't deserve that.

I would definitely terminate with her. Send her a certified letter saying her services are ended and submission of all past documentation to your insurance company is expected by such and such a date AS WELL AS copies of all such documentation be given to you (so you can file it yourself if needed or use it if necessary in lawsuit). Also, if she is a provider under contract with your insurance company, contact them and let them know what is going on. If she is not upholding her end of their contract, they will want to know that and can have her dropped from their contract. We've had to do that with a medical provider who was not following the guidelines of the insurance company and it was costing us money that it should never have cost us.

[LonesomeTonight]

Originally Posted by skeksi

That's a terrible situation. Since she can't keep to the terms you agreed, I definitely think you should not return, and also because she is not helping.

Did she have you sign paperwork at the beginning of your work together that specified things about billing--like that she would file insurance for you, or that phone sessions were not covered by insurance?

I would send her a registered letter requesting that she send you the paperwork to file with insurance within 7 days or you will take legal action. You can't get the money you are owed until she does that, and she needs something more than reminders and requests, apparently. I'm sorry you have to go through this.

I agree with this posting--see if she gave you any paperwork agreeing to anything. I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. If she doesn't give you the info, maybe you could try contacting your insurance company and see if they'll do anything to help?

I am so sorry you're going through this, scorpiosis. I completely agree with what lolagrace said. You so deserve better than all of that!

[winter4me]

I would also find out where to report her behavior to protect others (AG office, professional group depending on her status in your state...)
If she is in a practice with others, let them know via letter, your experience.
So sorry you are having to deal with this.

[AllHeart]

Sounds fradulent. I agree with all above -- send a certified letter insisting on the appropriate documentation. I would also call your insurance company and find out if this t has filed any claims whatsoever. She doesn't sound trustworthy and I hope she isn't trying to double dip. If need be, you could contact HIPPAA to see if she is violating any regulations with what she is doing. Moving forward, I would not pay her another red cent. She is not doing what she needs to do so withholding payment for any future services if you continue to see her is fair. So sorry you have to deal with this painful situation.

She sounds horrible, wow, so betraying.

Just a guess-she sounds to be struggling financially, so is taking desperate steps to get income.

I think there is some good advice here-you could first send a certified letter outlining the issues and the money owed to you; give her a date to respond by. If she doesn't settle the issue, taking it to the attorney general could be useful. They usually have a branch just to handle health care issues. You could also get with your insurer and ask for advice. After that, your state licensing board, if needed.

Sorry about your job not working out, that sounds devastating. I only dream of starting all over with a different career, but my student loans are way maxed out. I cheer you on about reinventing your career. Do it while your younger-that's great.

After posting this it crossed my mind that she may have been filing claims to the insurance and keeping the money rather than having it sent to you. Sorry if that's overly suspicious, but this sounds overly unprofessional.

[HowDoYouFeelMeow?]

So very sorry. As a tenure-track academic, I understand the multiple layers of stress and am here with you.

[1stepatatime]

I'm so sorry that you're enduring all of this. You need a therapist who is supportive, she clearly is not. One thing ( of many) that sends up the red flags for me are the receipts that she is not sending to your insurance. I'm wondering why can't she just give them to you at the end of each month so that you can send them in? That's the part that seems sketchy to me. Why wouldn't she just give them to you if she can't be bothered with it. I certainly don't want to add to your stress but I'm wondering if she is doing something fraudulent.
If it were me I would call my insurance company and let them know what is going on. Like others have said, send her a certified letter letting her know that her services are no longer needed and you EXPECT copies of all of the receipts that SHOULD have been submitted by her when she said she would submit them.
Again, I'm truly sorry for thos awful experience that you've had to endure.. please don't go back to her anymore.. you deserve much more

[scorpiosis37]

Thank you everyone! I will do as you suggest and send her a certified letter as well as contact my insurance company directly.

I'm just so frustrated that I don't have a decent T while I'm going through this difficult time.

[scorpiosis37]

Originally Posted by HowDoYouFeelMeow?

So very sorry. As a tenure-track academic, I understand the multiple layers of stress and am here with you.

Thank-you. It's nice to know I'm not the only one. All the passion I used to have for my field is gone. It feels like academia has sucked the pleasure out of learning, reading, writing, and teaching.

[growlycat]

I'm glad to see you posting again but I too am so sorry you've met such an unethical therapist. I don't even know what to say.

[scorpiosis37]

I called my insurance company today. They said they have never received a single one of the 3 months worth of invoices she claims to have sent them. I don't know if she outright lied to me or if she's incompetent and perhaps sent them to an incorrect address-- but I'm absolutely furious! I'm currently following the instructions from my insurance company about how to obtain the records I need and file everything myself. Just what I need on top of working 80 hour weeks while trying to plan a career change and preparing for the holidays!

I also sent T a text message letting her know that I will not be returning because of the financial/insurance issues, and she never responded.

[winter4me]

Do pursue this---tough but you will be glad you did in the end, take it one step at a time, break it down into doing, say, one particular piece of this work once or twice a week till it is done. You may have "caught" this T. And, my guess is she lied----I don't think it is easy to send insurance claims to the wrong address....it may even be done entirely online at this point.
You have every right to be furious!!!

Originally Posted by scorpiosis37

I called my insurance company today. They said they have never received a single one of the 3 months worth of invoices she claims to have sent them. I don't know if she outright lied to me or if she's incompetent and perhaps sent them to an incorrect address-- but I'm absolutely furious! I'm currently following the instructions from my insurance company about how to obtain the records I need and file everything myself. Just what I need on top of working 80 hour weeks while trying to plan a career change and preparing for the holidays!

I also sent T a text message letting her know that I will not be returning because of the financial/insurance issues, and she never responded.

This sounds like the right reaction. No response is indicative of something on her end, I think.

And on the challenges of being an academic... I know what you are talking about, I am in that world as well and have contemplated quitting and changing career multiple times driven by similar reasons. This was actually one of the main areas I wanted to address with my therapist this year. I had a good T and found it helpful. My T also started on an academic research route in his youth and changed it later, he was even in the same field I am in now. So our discussions on this were quite informed and insightful. I ended regular therapy with him already but we have an open-ended arrangement, I want to be able to have occasional meetings, right now mostly to discuss the career stuff.

Have you considered hiring someone who's more like a life coach, would that be helpful? I guess it depends what you want to discuss, the more deep emotional elements are better suited for therapy. For me, now I mostly want occasional practical discussions and an outside view on more pragmatic strategies.

[AllHeart]

Any updates on this, Scorpiosis?

[scorpiosis37]

I was able to get a printed out receipt from my therapist just listing the dates and amounts of my sessions (by each is the phrase "claim sent to Health Partners"). I am in the middle of filling out the forms from my insurance company now and will get them in the mail tomorrow. Then I will see whether my insurance company simply reimburses me or if I have to stage a fight. I also texted my T asking for documentation of everything she ever filed/sent to my insurance company. No response yet.

In the last week, I have put together a plan for my career change. I'm looking to make the transition over the summer, so I'm just getting everything in order so that it can be as seamless as possible. I will finish this academic year and still have my income and health insurance through August, so I will have from May until August to land a new job in my chosen field. I'm currently applying for some part time work in my new field that I can do from January to May, so I will have more experience to put on my resume. Since I was able to figure everything out myself, I no longer need any help with that. Of course, it would have been nice to have the moral support of a T, but I got through the worst of it on my own.