Jessica Arenella, Ph.D.

BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO USE YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE...

DID YOU KNOW?

Your treatment may not be as confidential as you think. 

Commerical and governmental health insurers have the right at any time to audit records or request additional information about your treatment. Your consent is not required and you will not be informed of this disclosure.  Your consent is implied by the use of your health insurance benefits for treatment, even if these are "out-of-network" benefits.

Your records may not be secure.

Current federal legislation does not ensure the security of your confidential health information.  All insurance companies keep electronic records of your private medical information.  While this data is supposed to be kept confidential, there are  loopholes and insufficient  electronic protections to ensure this confidentiality.Read the article from the New York times for more information.  NYT Article

Your doctor may not have control over your treatment. 

All Managed Care Companies (MCCs) involve direct clinical management by the company's case managers. 

Who?  Case managers are administrators who have never met you and apply formulas and general guidelines in an attempt to override the therapist's expertise and personal knowledge of the client.  The job of the case manager is  to keep costs to an absolute minimum.  Althugh some of them have degrees in the health professions, they may not have any practical experiences with psychotherapy. 

Case managers can limit your access to treatment and determine the type of treatment you are provided, without your consent and regardless of the clinican's professional recommendation.

You are not guaranteed to receive your mental health benefits.

The benefits advertised by your insurance company are not always accessible to you.  Case managers demand ongoing "proof" that you require treatment and may limit your benefits if they do not deem that your suffering is "severe" enough. Hours of paperwork, telephone calls, and faxes are generally required in order to obtain full benefits, resulting in considerable delays in reimbursement and more detailed disclosure of your personal issues.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

IF YOU STILL DECIDE TO USE YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE:   

I am 100% dedicated to maintaining your privacy and will do my best to limit access to your medical record.