I have been essentially unemployed for over a year. I've had a few temp jobs and I'm a substitute teacher but nothing regular. Because my meds alone cost almost $1,000 a month and unemployment income is not life sustaining let alone health sustaining I managed to qualify for (NYS's) Family Health Plus. Great! Low cost health insurance with low copays for mental health services (thanks to Timothy's law). I finally have been able to be in regular therapy. I LOVE IT!
In the past I've only been stablized and sent on my way with 5-minute check-in with the Psyciatrist for med maintenance every 90-days. I have a psychologist now that I see twice a month and it has really helped. Part of the reason it helps is because I feel safe with her and I'm able to be brutally honest about my life and what I think and what I do but that's not the point to this post.
As of April 1, the health insurance plan I was on was cancelled and I was forced to chose another plan which does not participate with my therapist's office. Now what, I'm finally getting the help I really have needed all along and for whatever reason I can't get it anymore. There is another plan that the therapist's office does participate with but the coverage is not that good and it doesn't offer dental coverage and currently I need a crown. I picked the dental coverage over the therapy coverage.
I shouldn't have to make that choice. It pisses me off. I don't want a new therapist, this one knows me and helps me and I don't want to have to try out and learn to trust someone new and go through all the initial evaluation and all that crap. How can insurance that is covered under the umbrella of a state program have such different coverages?
I need to talk to my therapist - she is my link with reality. I wouldn't have made it through this past winters darkest depression without midnight calls to her and she always came to the phone or called me right back. I'm sorry to say I'm going to try and work around the system if I can get my dental work done within 90-days I can change plans and get back to my therapist. But 90-days can be a long time to be out of contact with my life-support.
Thanks for allowing me to rant.
During the 90 days... would your current therapist consider doing "phone sessions" with you? If so, it wouldn't hurt to ask her how much she would charge for phone sessions?
I don't necessarily mean hour long therapy sessions by phone but what I mean is - for a few minutes, here and there, over the next 90 days - just to be able to talk to her on the phone. Sorta as if she were a PRN med though I hate to consider a therapist as such.
But, this way you would stay in touch with her - she with you - and if the plan is to return to her when you change your plan back around then at least you'd not lose any time or have a gap.
Just a thought.