How many visits?

I was wondering how many visits your ins. company pays for and what are the costs?

Mine is 30 visits in network, 10 visits out of network. Network meaning my doctor is approved by my ins co. After that I am on my own.

I pay $25.00 a visit for therapy (therapist) and medication management (pdoc).

I was just wondering what the range is as to what different ins. companies cover. Also, do you have mental health parity in your state?

Thank you and take care everyone.

I have lousy insurance with a $3000.00 deductible. But my therapist isn't covered by my insurance anyway.

Hi Danialla, I don't know if we have mental health parity in my state.

In 2007, my insurance paid 90% of the cost for 20 mental health visits to a network provider, and 60% of the cost of 20 visits to an out of network provider (after I met the $200 deductible). Unfortunately, they don't reimburse for someone with my therapist's licensure so they pay a big ZERO for his services. I pay his fee out of pocket and it is $125. Youch! My former counselor, who was not that great, did have a licensure they liked and so I only had to pay $9 a visit for her. It irritates me that they paid for someone who was merely adequate (to me) but won't pay anything to my current therapist, who I think is really good and has helped me so much. Grrrrrr.

In 2008, my insurance will start paying for 50 visits, 90/60 as above. But they still won't cover my therapist. I really hate insurance.

That stinks! Does your therapist charge on a sliding fee scale?

I have a high deductible ($2,500.00), but the visits like regular Dr. appointments don't count towards the deductible. Only hospitalizations (+ $250.00 admit fee) and tests (lab, MRI, etc.) are applied to the $2,500.00.

Thanks for your response......it is interesting to see what different ins. co. allow and what they charge.

I hate ins. companies too .

I really try to stay in network, but I know of a dr. with a great reputation for medication management and I am debating on going to him despite the cost. Will see.....

We do have out of network too but then the deductible is $6000.00 and the benefit is 20% of the approved amount. Not at all worth bothering with.

She did lower her fee for me which is so nice of her.

It is really nice going outside the insurance company. Even though it's extremely hard to manage financially, it's so nice that this is just between her and me. No claims to file, no personal information going to people who don't need to know, etc.

That's a good point. I never thought of the lack of paper work as an added benefit.

Maybe I will call this Dr. and see what his fees are..... Since it is only for the medication part, I won't be seeing him all that often, so maybe I can a afford it.

Good point!

I have 60 visits and pay $30 copay per visit.

What is mental health
parity?

My T works on a sliding fee scale.

When I went to my 1st T I think I would get like 30 visits. Then I always had to end up paying out of pocket... but she would work with me as far as the fee.

It's nice now not to have to worry about # of visits and all that... so I can go 2x per week when my schedule allows.

Remember, the parity act passed in the USA, so this should mean that mental health visits should soon be covered just like any other physical issue/visits are... "should" being the key word here.

I don't think I could heal if I were stuck in a program as the majority of ppl are...and I am most appreciative for the ability to go and be as I need to.

(((((hugs)))) to all struggling with this problem. (((((hugs))))

I live in Ottawa Ontario and I just got some insurance from my work, but I don't know much about it yet.

However, I do see a pdoc for therapy (yes therapy, and meds management) every week. I've seen her for like 5 years.

I don't pay a cent unless I cancel on short notice, then there's a $50 fine.

Thankfully I dont have to worry about visit costs and insurance! I get covered under Vocational Rehab while I'm attending school! They pay her for 1 session a week and she sees me for free the 2nd session.