Insurance Denial Help

[Spiderling]

I am dealing with multiple insurance denials right now and I'm not sure how to handle it.

I suffer from severe anxiety and have dealt with anorexia in the past. Because of that, when I started a new job last year the insurance company decided they would not give me the full amount of life insurance offered by my company. The letter that they sent informing me of the denial was full of spelling and grammar errors, which doesn't inspire my faith in their ability to comprehend medical issues. At one point during the coverage application process, they sent a nurse to my house to ask me medical history questions, but she was so unfamiliar with eating disorders that she took one look at me (recovered to a more healthy weight) and asked "so is anorexia the one where you eat too much or...?"

Around January my work also submitted me for medical leave coverage because I found out that I was pregnant. Since then I have miscarried, but I decided to continue with the approval process because I hope to try again. This coverage was also denied because of the anxiety and anorexia.

The thing is, while I've had health insurance for most of my life, it's never afforded me the opportunities to receive the care I need to address the issues I have. Most of the time, insurance will cover 3 or 4 therapist visits per calendar year. I feel like if I'd had better access to care sooner I might have a better grasp on these issues. As it is, it's been up to me to pay entirely out of pocket if I hope to get care other than through my general practitioner. Most GPs do not seem equipped to deal with the complexities of mental health treatment.

It also seems like the insurance industry does not understand that regular doctor visits and meds are more like maintenance and preventative care than a sign that someone is falling apart. I feel like the fact that I have been checking in with my doctors and adjusting meds when necessary is being held against me as proof that I'm not just "over it".

I deserve full coverage. I deserve adequate opportunities to seek the care that I need without having to go broke. I don't feel like I should have to be fighting on multiple fronts just to do things like have a child or have full medical coverage. Is there some kind of advocacy group that can help me navigate all of this?
What kind of options do I have for regular therapy given the constraints of my coverage? How can I get well and be well despite my health insurance doing their damnedest to keep me from doing so?

[donkarp]

Just wondered if you have considered some form of self care (self-hypnosis, meditation, yoga, etc.) say coupled with a 12-step program?

Too many people get into twisted relationships within the mental health establishment. I was one.

[manuel_moe_g]

Hello Spiderling. I don't know what to say. Eating disorders are so difficult. You deserve better. I am sorry you are not getting the help you need. Please take care.

___.oOo.______.oOo.______.oOo.______.oOo.______.oOo.______.oOo.______.oOo.___

Low/No Cost Mental Health Resources

United States website to find sliding scale "low/no" cost mental health services. Also information on medication assistance: NeedyMeds - Free/Low-Cost/Sliding-Scale Clinics U.S. Database

Discussion of low and no cost therapy resources, even in usually under-served areas: Maria Bamford podcast, Episode 95, Jan 04 2013 at minute 6:00.

If you think you might need this resource, then you definitely need this resource - please check out the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network - RAINN at RAINN.org

Google searches for low and no cost therapy resources, even in usually under-served areas: your town or county + one of these terms:

• low cost counselling service
• sliding scale counselling service
• CMHC
• community mental health
• community service board office

From this MentalPod board - some places to get help for people with limited resources:

• Help for little or no money
• Best Insurance Companies/Types for Mental Health Care
• Links for More Mental Health Info/Suicide Hotlines

Here is a post and thread on Reddit about getting medication at low or no cost: Community Assistance Program, accepted at Target pharmacy and many other pharmacies

If you are just needing someone with the chat with online, not a professional, there is a great depression chat room that usually has at least 40 different people, you can go and go private and discuss issues and just get stress off your chest. Here is the link:

depression-chat-rooms.org

Finally, here is a good summary of the precursors to suicide to help you understand yourself and others, it is from a PhD psychologist whose father committed suicide:

American Psychological Association - Thomas Joiner, PhD - Precursors to suicide, for yourself and others

Cheers to you, for scrolling all the way down to the bottom of this copypasta!