[lenjan]

Just looking for others to rant along with me on this one.

It occurred to me that I hadn't seen a bill from T for quite some time. Today, one arrived, listing the activity from the time I started seeing her in July, and including seeing her boss (psychologist, she's an LPC) in the hospital in July.

I really like my T, but not $160 per 50 minutes worth. But what REALLY chaps my butt is that, for spending, oh, half an hour with me in the nut hut during the 3 days I was there, dude got $300. AND, even worse, he has this awful like 350-question form (I am not exaggerating) for you to fill out that (supposedly) tells him what's wrong with you. It took me 45 minutes to fill the damn thing out to be told that "hey, you're depressed and anxious!" Um, yeah -- like most people who are actively considering major damage to themselves tend to be! And then, based on my answers to OTHER things, he declared me avoidant (might have to give him that one) and NARCISSISTIC, which, c'mon, people. Anyone who knows me knows that I have little to no self-esteem, much less an overabundance of it! There was other stuff too -- I walked out of there with about 5 more dx's than I walked in with -- but I was too p*ssed off after hearing the "narcissistic traits" that I don't remember what they are, because I couldn't get past that one.

And for the 45 minutes I spent filling out that form, I have the privilege of paying ... FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS.

And no, my insurance didn't cover it, which is a story for another time and another massive rant -- I was supposed to be covered through Dec. 31, paid for same, and they stopped covering pretty much everything, including meds, sometime in November. (I lost my job Oct. 1. A-holes took the insurance premiums out of my extremely pathetic severance check, which left me with a whopping $45 of it or something, and they aren't even paying for anything?!!)

UGH. I shouldn't get my BP up this bad before bed, but I'm just not a happy camper right now!

[phoenix7]

that really sucks - sorry - maybe you could bill them back for being frustrating and annoying!

ps I loved your cartoon at the bottom

[I_WMD]

I not seen ya about lately with a vent like that Candy ,,,, But can't half blame you ....

Kinda like an off * political correctness * Giggle ;
" So Doc ??? Ya say I have multiple personalities ???
Who You mailing the bill to ,,, and WHO is going to pay it ? ".

....and with that goes ; when ya submit for your paid into insurance provider , and it takes sometimes till a collector is calling you >> and ya thought >> " Well , I submitted that months ago ".

OK .. not in all circumstances ... But if 1 person experiences this problem >> ,, more than a million others have too . * shrugs *

Now the other side off the coin ;

Be you not on payroll ,,, suddenly these cogs of the gears that move at " snails pace walking backwards "...
Magically go into greased for never miss a beat >>>.>>>>> and then the squished through the tube marked File 13 .

WMD.

[sunrise]

It has always seemed strange to me that psychologists need an expensive, time-consuming questionnaire to make a diagnosis, whereas a plain Jane therapist can often come to the same conclusions (or more accurate) after spending a session with you and asking a few questions. I think good listening and observational skills go a long way.

candybear, I am sorry you were subjected to all those diagnoses and labels. I think your reaction shows exactly why such things are not helpful and are even harmful.

Can you call your insurance to find out why you weren't covered in December like you thought you would be? Could it be a mistake?

Your experience is a good lesson for me. If any health provider asks me to fill out a long questionnaire, I am going to ask the cost and the purpose. If I don't like either, I won't fill it out. Someone else in this forum posted a month or so ago about a similar expensive experience with a questionnaire.

I hope there is a way you can get the insurance straightened out.

[imapatient]

You're saying she charges $160 so without insurance coverage you have to pay all of it? Just one session from July, or did you see her later? I'm confused about the July stuff when you're talking about having insurance coverage through Nov.? or Oct.?

I had a similar situation for an outpatient evaluation that I was told would be 1 hour—went 4 hours. Total cost was $1500 and I had to pay $230. I had no idea that would happen from what I expected the evaluation to be.

I think there needs to be more disclosure of costs upfront. What's done is treated like "care" without regard to costs to patient, but T is also a business transaction as much as providers don't want to see their service that way.

Can insurance pay for back in July if you still had coverage?

[lenjan]

Sorry -- I get unclear when I'm angry and tired.

In July, I still had a job. I lost it Oct. 1, but as part of the severance (which was next to nothing to begin with), I was allowed to maintain my insurance through Dec. 31 by paying the employee part of the contribution (which was minimal, as those things go).

I also was on short-term disability from early July through the end of August, dealing with a massive depressive episode (brought on by work, go figure), and saw T weekly during that time. Part of the negotiations when I went back to work was that I would get time off to do things like go to therapy. Of course, that never happened. So we had a month or so gap in there where I didn't see her at all.

I went back after getting canned and have been seeing her weekly since. She charges $160 and up to a point, I paid nothing. But according to this bill, insurance stopped paying anything at all in November.

Sunrise, I have to agree about therapists vs. psychologists and the questionnaire. It's the first time I've ever had to do one of that magnitude and I had no idea I'd be coughing up almost $600 for the "privilege." Next time I'll know better!!

Thanks for the affirmation, everyone. It helps.

Candy

[Angel_of_the_Past]

So sorry Candybear!

To add to the rant is the disconnect that insurance companies have separating out mental health and physical health. Both are important and intertwined. You can't have issues with one with out it affecting the other. Why can't the insurance companies see this? Why if we can't afford insurance doesn't the government provide health care coverage to all? Maybe the people who make the coverage decisions have never walked our walk!

Again, I'm sorry about the bills. Have you talked with the Social Workers at the hospital. My son was fired from his job 2 days prior to his admission, he talked to them about his situation and for a 10 day stay he only had to pay $200 total.

Best wishes and hugs,
Angel

[angee]

That sounds rough. I've never filled out a questionnaire and I believe most good Ts can find out about you by asking the right questions. The cost of T however is way to high. It's awful enough to be sick and unable to work--add that to a T bill and it just doesn't figure.

Is there a mental health clinic in your area? Their prices are (as far as I know) based on what you can afford to pay. My old T charged about $150 for a few minutes. I now pay $40.

Good Luck in getting your situation resolved.

angee

[gimmeice]

(((((((((((((((( Candybear ))))))))))))))))))

I am sorry that this is happening, it is insane that they charged you that much. Can you appeal the nonpayment by the insurance? I think that most providers have an appeal process and it sounds like you have a case since you paid the premiums and they didn't pay.

[bipolar_bear]

(((((((((((((((((((((((((candybear)))))))))))))))))))))))))) Please don't give up with this insurance company. What they are obligated to pay that is what they need to do. I am wondering if your employer stopped paying the premium after October. Then your fight would be with them I suppose. I am so sorry you are even having to go through all of this.

When filling out a questionaire there is much more to each question. I just question thier validity. I find conversation much more accurate and am sorry they didn't see fit to do it this way.

Grrrr on insurance and employers that don't live up to their words.

BB

[lenjan]

There's a mental health clinic within a block of my house, but they have strict income limits and even stricter rules (like, you're allowed one therapy session a month!, not including med management by THEIR pdoc, not one you know and like).

I emailed the HR director at my former workplace and asked her to look into the whole mess. She's been pretty good about being straight with me before. (Some of those HR folks can be kind of shady.)

My experience with social workers is that they're even more useless, as far as getting things solved/accomplished, than HR people, but at this point, I'll try anything. I was critically physically ill a few years ago, spent 5 weeks in the hospital, and the social workers actually made things worse by their incompetence with paperwork, etc.

Thanks again all.

Candy