Physician Burnout: Using Insurance
I do not accept insurance. For high achievers, being able to receive high-quality treatment while being discrete is important. If you are thinking about using insurance to address mental health issues or burnout, you need to read this blog.
Must Receive a Diagnosis
Insurance will only cover payment if the issue you are seeking treatment for is a medical necessity. The Medicare definition of medically necessary is “health care services or supplies needed to diagnose or treat an illness, injury, condition, disease, or its symptoms and that meets accepted standards of medicine.” You need a medical diagnosis for payment for receiving medically necessary treatment. A medical diagnosis is used for insurance purposes. A medical diagnosis can be helpful for psych treatment but I find it more hurtful than it is helpful as a clinician. People are not their diagnosis. Also, I care more about treating the person in front of me and their symptoms than their diagnosis. A diagnosis will also be placed on your medical record. As a high performer, many do not want it on their medical record. It can bite you in the ass in the future.
Many of my clients are not seeking treatment for medical diagnosis. Physician burnout is not a medical diagnosis. Emotional responses to the physician lifestyle are not a medical diagnosis. Being an overachiever is not a medical diagnosis. Wanting to improve your relationship isn’t a medical diagnosis. Learning about your emotions, building healthy coping skills, and learning how to communicate effectively are not medical diagnoses. I help people improve the quality of their lives using therapy techniques and a specific set of skills that I've acquired over time. Many clients I work with do not have a medical diagnosis, nor do they need one.
Insurance Dictates Treatment
Another issue with using insurance is that insurance companies can dictate what treatment looks like. Insurance companies determine the length of treatment allowed as well as the type and techniques of therapy treatment used. I’m all about being strength-based and collaborative in my approach to treatment. I use different techniques and skills that help my clients get results. I also check in with my clients every 4 weeks to make sure we are headed in the right direction. I want to make sure that my clients are making progress toward their goals. If they are not, we make changes to the treatment plan as needed. When an insurance company dictates how and what type of treatment is being used, a client may not fit the model insurance companies have imagined. With my work with clients, goals and treatment plans are customized to fit my clients’ needs.
Watch Out for Insurance Clawbacks
A major issue with using insurance is insurance clawbacks. Insurance clawbacks are when an insurance company wants to be repaid because the company determined that the services were not covered. These services may be determined to not be medically necessary after they previously paid for them. Imagine seeing your therapist for a few months and your insurance decides not to pay for the service. This could mean you’re on the hook for a lump sum of a few thousand dollars. You may have coverage for the moment but you also may not.
Privacy for Physician Burnout
Lastly, when people are using insurance for mental health treatment, people need to think about privacy. If you are concerned about privacy, by not using insurance, you are removing an opportunity for others to know about your issues. Because insurance is not being billed, there is no information to be shared. There is less likelihood of a data breach because no data is being shared with an insurance company. No diagnosis, no information about treatment, and no data to be shared. Receiving services by paying with cash increases privacy when receiving support.
Reach out for Therapy for Physician Burnout
When you want to address your physician burnout and want to be discrete, get therapy for physician burnout with Chris Rabanera. Reach out for a free 15-minute consultation. I provide online therapy in California, online therapy in Michigan, and online therapy in Las Vegas. I work with issues such as physician burnout, grief counseling, anxiety, and depression. I also provide mental health treatment for men.
