A Dedham mother remembers when her teenage daughter became overwhelmed with anxiety and was using illicit drugs. When her daughter’s doctor suggested she see “a therapist,” the mother began investigating, and soon found a dizzying array of options — psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and social workers, among others.
Some specialized in prescribing mood-altering medications, while others focused on psychotherapy that delves into the child’s past. Some focused on changing destructive behaviors, while others probed family and school stresses. Beyond that, there were also pastoral counselors, yoga therapists, and life coaches.
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Basically this article is on target, though the full impact of insurance restrictions on the situation must be put under a massive spotlight. Many therapists refuse to take many of the insurance carriers. There are two main reasons for this. First, the reimbursement rates are such that therapists often get paid less than hair dressers. The level of training and responsibility for the complexities of the human emotions clearly warrants a different level of compensation. Second, the level of intrusiveness and oversight leads to severe problems. If carriers see a pattern of therapy which raises a flag for them, they expect justifications which are disingenuous, to say the least. Not only does it create extra work for the therapists, but the intimate information about patients is used with one goal, to justify discontinuation of benefits.
Talk therapy has contributed much benefit to the lives of many people. Societal access to that resource has been profoundly impaired over the past quarter century, with insurance industry financial goals at the heart of the change.
Couldn't agree more. You will be amazed at what your "mack-daddy" private health insurer won't cover. The state's MassHealth is actually a better plan than most health insurers when it comes to behavioural health. Imagine that, you work your but off to provide for your family and get good insurance ant the states welfare insurance program is better.