Many people seek therapy and would like to use their insurance. Here are some considerations to keep in mind that you may not know about when using your insurance for therapy.
WHY INSURANCE MAY BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU
1. A diagnosis is required which then becomes part of your permanent medical record.
- Insurance companies require an official mental health diagnosis that I would be required to provide. Unfortunately, this can affect you down the road in life. For example, you could be denied life insurance.
- Frequently people come for therapy for problems that arise from situations, transitions, or lifestyles, trauma, early life experiences, or learned patterns of coping, not for mental health illnesses. These problems do not fit the medical model insurance companies use. My therapy practice is for people like you who are plagued with problems that do not fit outright mental health illness.
- Advantage = no labels
2. Confidentiality is a hallmark of licensed therapists.
- Confidentiality is in fact an ethical practice that we as therapists must comply with in order to be licensed and give you a safe place to speak and act without reprisal. (There are certain safety exceptions that apply that you will be informed of prior to beginning.)
- When using self-pay, unless you tell someone, no one will know you have sought out therapy or the reason for it. When using insurance, there is the risk that any number of unauthorized employees can view your record. The system cannot guarantee confidentiality.
- Advantage = confidentiality
3. Insurance often will pay for only a certain number of sessions.
- Often circumstances require more sessions to reach resolution than is allowed by your coverage. Insurance companies frequently require a certain therapeutic process to be used, such as brief solution focused therapy. This is in the interest of the company since they have dictated the number of sessions they will pay for. This is a good model for some situations but certainly not the best approach for all. Your therapist, with your consent, is in a much better position to choose the best treatment approach and length of services for your problems.
- If you use your insurance for payment and need more sessions to complete your therapy, you will either have to quit – with your therapy unfinished – or pay out of pocket anyway.
- Advantage = no limitations on length of time you may stay with your therapist or the best approach to your therapy
4. You have the freedom to choose your therapist.
- Insurance companies have a panel of providers that they refer to. The therapists on their lists are fine and competent people. However, they may not specialize in the needs you have.
- With private pay, you have flexibility, choice of therapist, and who is included in your therapy. At times it is useful to bring in another member of the family or a friend.
- Advantage = freedom to choose
In the end, self pay means no reporting to insurance companies which is to your advantage.