I have never had health insurance before and I have some quesitons...?!
Question: I have Blue Cross Blue Shield (PPO), and I know I need some psychological testing done. Does my regular doctor (which I haven't even met yet b/c insurance just became effective) have to recommend me to a psychologist, or does she diagnose me? I am sure I have 1 or more personality disorders (borderline, histrionic, possibly bi-polar after researching) and need help soon because it is interfering with my marriage.
Thanks :)
Answers: I have Blue Cross Blue Shield (PPO), and I know I need some psychological testing done. Does my regular doctor (which I haven't even met yet b/c insurance just became effective) have to recommend me to a psychologist, or does she diagnose me? I am sure I have 1 or more personality disorders (borderline, histrionic, possibly bi-polar after researching) and need help soon because it is interfering with my marriage.
Thanks :)
your regular doctor most likely isn't qualiified to diagnose your symptoms, but will give you recommendations for a psychologist.
also, blue cross blue shield requires that your doctor refer you to a psychologist before they will authorize payinment of claims that you submit.
please note that there are some restrictions on the number of visits with some policies.
also, make sure your doctor and the psychologist are on the list of BC/BS providers---listed in the provider directory that you received.
you should interview a few psychologists before selecting one.
You'll want to ask about the kinds of treatment they practise, what they recommend for you, fees and insurance, and length of treatment.
Most importantly, find someone that is qualified and that you feel comfortable working with.
best of luck to you, that's great that you are taking this first step!
Call the number on the back of your health card and speak with a representative. It depends on how the insurance is set up and they would be able to tell you if you need a referral. The representative doesn't know who you are so don't worry about it. Good luck!!
hi - i have kaiser, but i can tell you what they do, and i'm pretty sure they're very similar. my reg doctor didn't diagnose me (I don't even think they're qualified to do that), but referred me to a therapist at another site. i see them completely separate.
It depends on what their policy is on this type of thing. But honestly? When dealing with ANY mental health issues - if at all possible, pay for them entirely out of pocket, and don't get the insurance company involved. This is because of privacy reasons. Yes, I know all about these laws that supposedly protect your privacy. But your mental health professional will have to provide your insurance company with plenty of details in order to get reimbursed for their services. No, they won't tell them every single thing, but in my opinion, I don't want any unnecessary information floating around my insurance company. This sort of information stays around a long time, and it could come back to haunt you many years from now, if not sooner. If you pay out of pocket, and do not submit any claims to the insurance company, then the anything that you and your mental health professional discuss will stay between the two of you. But still, I would stress the fact to the therapist that you do NOT give your permission for them to give out ANY information about you without your prior written authorization.
Just my opinion...