Do you feel pressure to push ahead in therapy?

[Still Standing]

to push ahead, even if you know you are not 'there' yet, in therapy, getting through the CBT program (or whichever therapy method of you use ) before your payment coverage ends? I am using Medicare coverage and it is limited to a certain amount of hours. Once that is met, there are no extensions or options for continuing coverage. I will be on my own. What I get in my medicare income basically only pays for this coverage and a supplemental health coverage. Paying for continuing therapy will not be an option. This knowledge sits in the back of my head and it makes me feel pressure to hurry up and get better. BUT, I know this unrealistic. There is continuing improvement but no time frame can be put on a recovery time. I am worried that therapy will still be needed when the funds run out, since I was told the C-PTSD is a lifetime issue. There is no way that I can pay $160 for twice weekly sessions, let alone once a week. Have any of you faced this and what did you do or find as options for therapy at the end of funding?

 

[Muted]

I’ve had to take out a loan to cover therapy and living expenses while I can’t work. It sucks because working through crap takes a lot of time if you want to fully work it through. It can’t be rushed.

 

[blackemerald1]

Can you discuss this with your Dr? Payment plan? It is so bad to have the added financial pressure.

 

[Still Standing]

Oh! I never thought about a loan! That might be an option. As long as hubby's cancer stays dormant and he can continue to bring in contracts, maybe we can do this. And when the funds of Medicare are used up, it will make talking with the doc about options. He has told me that the PTSD is long standing and it is not going to be a quick fix because of the years it has been stewing. Thanks guys, your mention of a loan and talking with the doc helps to calm my worry.

 

[anonymous]

Is this under occupational therapy?

Medicare has caps for occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy. Nowhere do I see a cap for mental health therapy.

 

[Still Standing]

Wow! I just researched the Medicare coverage, too. You are right, anonymous!!! I had gotten mixed up with inpatient coverage and outpatient coverage, which only pays for 190 days of care. Somehow I interpreted that as 190 hours of counseling, in general! I hate it when I switch info around... Yay! What a relief! I have been silently panicking over the loss of funding. Now I can focus better on care. Thank you! Thank you!

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I private paid in a sliding scale so my fee was only twenty five dollars a week but that was back in 1985