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New Member
Member Since Nov 2007
Posts: 2
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May 03, 2008 at 05:47 PM
#1
I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but do therapists ever make up diagnoses on insurance paperwork just so that they are 'covered', for example, if they're not sure what catagory to fit you into? Is every client who goes into therapy diagnosed with 'something'?
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Legendary
Member Since Aug 2007
Location: West of Tampa Bay, East of the Gulf of Mexico
Posts: 14,352
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May 03, 2008 at 06:47 PM
#2
a diagnosis is necessary for insurance reimbursement. the diagnosis can change as therapy progresses and often initially the diagnosis provided to the insurance company is whatever brought you to therapy: depression, anxiety, etc.
did your therapist provide a diagnosis that you're uncomfortable with or don't agree with? please talk to your therapist about diagnosing and about yours in particular. |
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Legendary
Member Since Oct 2007
Location: Out of my mind...back in 5 min.
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May 03, 2008 at 10:05 PM
#3
Yeah, a lot of times ins will only give like 8 sessions for therapy (which is totally worthless) and so the t will have to give a reason to have more therapy covered. Most therapists don't like the system, but what's to be done?
That's why i'm so bummed about losing mine- it covered 40 visits a year!! That's just unheard of. __________________ Credits: ChildlikeEmpress and Pseudonym for this lovely image.   alt="Universal Life Church | ULC" border="0">
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May 03, 2008 at 10:25 PM
#4
Yes. Therapists "use" the diagnosis to get the best coverage they can for the client. That is not saying, they make things up. They simply work the system.
For example, most therapists will not list something like Borderline Personality Disorder as a diagnosis, because this is a red flag for insurance companies. It means long term treatment and slow progress. Insurance companies do not want to see that. Instead, a therapist might use a diagnosis that can be associated with BPD such as depression, anxiety, etc. Or they put something like PTSD, which indicates that it "can be treated. " PTSD has many similar symptoms as BPD. I would not worry about it. Therapists with experience know what to do to get the best coverage for you. Additionally, I would not be concerned if an insurance company has a diagnosis. Who cares? Truth is the people making the coverage decisions are not PhDs and are not therapists. They are just following protocol and could care less about you and your diagnosis. Furthermore, the insurance company can not break confidentiality. |
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Member
Member Since Nov 2007
Posts: 51
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May 04, 2008 at 05:41 PM
#5
Ha! Once, my insurance company tried to tell me that my doctor had put a code of 780 on my claim form...."altered state of consciousness" - one step above a coma! They were wrong, of course.
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New Member
Member Since Nov 2007
Posts: 2
17 |
May 05, 2008 at 02:49 AM
#6
Therapy ended for me a little over a year ago after I moved to a new city...left on bad terms...long story. Anyway, I was going for two and a half years and he never mentioned any diagnosis and I always felt too intimidated to ask. I wrote a letter to the counseling center a few months ago and found out that he had diagnosed me with 'generalized anxiety disorder, nos'. I always thought I had some level of social anxiety. This is just one of many questions I'm left to figure out. Thank you for your responses.
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Poohbah
Member Since Feb 2007
Location: Some where
Posts: 1,320
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May 05, 2008 at 11:20 PM
#7
Just an FYI if you are afraid to ask your therapist you can call your insurance and as for the numeric code. You can then look it up on line.
I did it once to see if my diagnosis changed...it hasn't. __________________ My new blog http://www.thetherapybuzz.com "I am not obsessing, I am growing and healing can't you tell?" |
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