Unable To Afford Therapy

[sugnim]

I don't expect an answer here, but I wanted to post this where someone might understand. I cannot afford therapy, but I believe that it could help me if I could go.

This past year, I lost my health insurance, but was able to pay for a high deductible plan to cover my spouse & child. I suppose I'll have to pay a penalty for not being able to afford insurance. Next year isn't looking any better, and even if I can get coverage, it will not be enough to actually enable me to see anyone for mental health. I don't know how anyone is able to afford mental health care, and I kind of think that with the new health care laws, even more people will not be able to get the help they need.

 

[Stickler]

...try looking for local nonprofits that offer therapy on a sliding scale.

You did check the exchange, see if there was a subsidized thing you could afford, right?...noting that the subsidies still put plans out of reach for most of us...:/.
Not looking forward to enrolling in whatever I have to enroll in, and if it is too steep I will have to go back to Internet meds from India...:/

 

[sugnim]

...try looking for local nonprofits that offer therapy on a sliding scale.

You did check the exchang...

Thanks for the suggestion. I did look into the plans. Unfortunately, the deductibles are so high that it is very much like not having insurance at all. In fact, it would be cheaper to go the therapy without insurance coverage than to pay the premium and the therapy bill. However, I can't afford it either way. Ugh!

 

[Deleted member 27340]

See if you can find non-profit organisations or centres offering help and support in your area. Depending on what type of trauma you endured, you may have a hard time finding somewhere to go or there'll be multiple choices. Centres for sexual abuse are everywhere, for instance. Some areas also have centres for trauma in general. If you first find one of these non-profit centres/organisations you can go there to get help.

 

[Casey_03]

I was in a similar situation, am based abroad and was unable to to pay for therapy. I did find a very helpful therapist who was willing to slash her normal fee by 50%, and then i only had sessions every once in a while. Even though they weren't frequent, it was still helpful to know there was someone I could share my concerns with, even if only once a month. If you are interested in her contact details, feel free to message me. She was also willing to work with me via Skype. Was generally very accommodating.

 

[Intrepid]

Four months ago I moved to a different city, taking a job that doesn't offer health insurance. My health insurance didn't really cover mental health well anyway. Mental health covered by insurance often has to follow a therapy that is evidence based, which means it is cookie cutter, not client driven therapy. Yuck.

So now that I moved I'm getting good therapy through a non-profit at an affordable rate. I couldn't have gotten that in the city where I lived. The general mental health community there is sooo profit driven. The non-profits are terribly overwhelmed, or lack the support to provide good therapy.

 

[Della]

@sugnim I agree with all of them. I hope that you can find a place where you can get reduced or free mental health care. If not we here on the forum will try our best to support you and give you advice to the best of our ability. Best wishes to you honey. :hug:

 

[Panda Bear]

Yes, seek a county or non profit depending on your type of need. Many private practice Ts have sliding scales or interns that work with them at a significantly reduced rate. So don't count them out all together! My T has an intern that works under him and her rates are $15-$30/visit depending on income.

 

[Friday]

The new laws are a huge blessing round here, but that's a very regional thing. Before, the only individual plans (if you lost your job) in our area were $800 per person with deductibles in the 4k-6k range. And most of the blue collar insurance was 20/80 (instead of 80/20 once you got up into white collar jobs), where you were responsible for paying 80%, the charlatans. Who can afford 80% of healthcare costs? No one working a blue collar job! Are the govvie low income plans great? Nah. But they're a f*ckload better than that! Either way, though, the status quo is still the same... Best to work a job that has a decent plan. Says the chick who worked 31 hours a week in a hospital because at 32 hours a week they were required to provide Health insurance :banghead: SMH.

There's no excuse for any of this; one of the richest countries in the world & people have to beggar themselves for healthcare and education. It's pathetic. Worse than pathetic, it's sad. From 40 million people with no health insurance, to near equal numbers underinsured. From a gaping wound to a festering one. The poverty levels in this country are disgusting. There is no f*cking reason for it except that we're bone deep terrified of anyone getting something for nothing. We don't take care of our veterans. We don't take care of our children or elderly. We don't take care of our sick & injured. We're a damn disgrace. First world country my ass. We're a candy shop country.

Clean water, 24/7/365 power, top notch education & medical... All here... But people are starving to death, and dying of treatable illness. 50,000 people a year of the common cold & flu! The only meal millions of kids get a day at school in free lunch programs, because for food aid, being poor isn't enough. You have to be 800% below the poverty line for f*cking food aid, and even then, first come first served... Because there's only enough for the first 1/3. And people griping about poor people having iPhones???? iPhones are free (or $1-$50 with a year commitment). Crap burner phones & pay as you go plans are more expensive than iPhones & basic plans. Yeah let's focus on their damn phones. Things they can actually afford. Unlike healthcare. Which they can't.

Climbing off soap box...

It's not an impossible situation. There are about 500 work-arounds for being poor & unable to afford candy-shop prices. But it's a steep (and frustrating) learning curve.

 

[The Albatross]

I did what therapy I could afford... then went into self studies and stayed involved here for peer support and accountability. I have come light years since therapy. It could happen.

For what it's worth, I can understand what you are saying about the cost of a decent insurance policy these days. It is a mega peeve for me too and no I won't be using ACA... not if I can help it... I'd rather private pay.