Insurance information
An important part of your treatment is “informed consent.” In order for you to make an informed choice I have created this disclosure statement for your review. If you are a member of an insurance policy that provides reimbursement for mental health counseling, please read the following before making your choice regarding those benefits.
Reason #1: Lack of Confidentiality.
All insurance plans involve direct clinical management by the plan’s case managers. If you access therapy through your insurance company, it makes it necessary for your therapist to disclose anything and everything related to your case to your insurance company.
This information is used by the insurance company for determining benefits, which they allocate at their own discretion. This impacts your right of confidentiality, and it is possible that your information will be stored in a computer system which could be accessed by others.
Reason #2: Difficulty getting treatment authorized.
Due to the direct care managed by insurance companies and their desire to keep costs to a minimum, getting therapy sessions authorized often becomes cumbersome and time consuming. Every plan has different requirements and standards for authorizations. Usually they require many hours a week of paperwork and phone calls by the therapist in order to get authorizations. Some will deny therapy in lieu of taking prescription medications.
Furthermore, some insurance companies want to control the treatment plan. Some will even dictate the specific treatment plan, which is often very subjective and may even be anti-therapeutic. Some plans will determine when it is time to terminate treatment, even when the client continues to be in distress, or their problem has not been sufficiently solved.
Reason #3: Misdiagnosing and/or over-diagnosing in order to get treatment authorized.
Some insurance companies will not cover treatment unless it is a “medical necessity.” This may mean the client has to “pretend” they are “sick” or worse off than they are, in order to receive their benefits. Most insurance companies do not cover marriage counseling, family counseling, self-improvement or adjustment to common life stressors unless they are part of the treatment plan for a serious mental disorder or drug/alcohol problem.
This situation puts both the therapist and client in a negative situation. The therapist may be inclined to “make up” or “guess at” a diagnosis, which is not in the best interest of the client. Most importantly, you should not be given a mental illness diagnosis that is not correct simply to get treatment paid by the insurance company.
By choosing to pay for your therapy sessions out of pocket, I can promise:
Your confidentiality is assured.
Your individual treatment plan is determined only by what is beneficial and needed for you to achieve the results you seek.
There are no “labels” to follow you all of your life.
We can begin your road to health, happiness & well being immediately.
I look forward to being of service to you!