Well, day two of what is a difficult week. But I received an email this morning saying the awareness bracelets I ordered just last week have been shipped already! The keepsake urns I ordered were in stock so I will have them by the 25th. Positive things in a sad week.
Just some facts to throw out there. A registered psychologist charges approximately $160.00/hr. Unless one has extended medical benefits there is likely no chance of reimbursement. Even those with extended benefits often can only claim $1000. worth of treatment (which may only be reimbursed at 80%. When a person requires psychotherapy half dozen treatments will only start to scratch the surface of the issues needing to be addressed. Now, there a many therapists who aren't psychologist (which means they have a PHD) however, most EAP and extended benefits won't cover anything less that a psychologist.
Part of an issue here is that trying out a psychologist can be much like trying on a suit. Not everyone is a fit for everyone else. Coverage may be largely expended before a patient even starts to make any progress. So what do we do? I understand medical costs are already a huge problem. There just is not enough money even to staff our hospitals to enable operating times....and mental health issues seem to come very low in priority when we have so many other life threatening physical ailments.
I wish I had some kind of ideas....I just don't. Right now...I buy mental health stamps...10 cents per stamp goes to mental health.....that does nothing....yet it's something...I guess.
1 comment:
I find talking to close friends who visit psychologists gives you more of a chance of nailing down one you connect with faster. I also don't like how, through EAPs, you have to visit so many until you find the "perfect one" that you've expended your visits for the year before you even make headway with one person. If you're really lucky then the psychologist someone recommends to you is actually connected with your EAP group - as was the case with me, thankfully. The $160/hr charge for a psychologist outside of an EAP is exorbitant. You could ask about a sliding scale, too. Or, when I was seeing one outside of my EAP, she let me write her two cheques of $80 to come out on my pay days. Just some thoughts... :) xo
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