My therapist and psychiatrist never told me they’re out-of-network and now I’m being billed nearly $3000
I (20M) have been seeing a therapist and psychiatrist for the past few months, both are within the same practice. After going through six therapists in the span of four years (thanks, HMO), she’s the only therapist that has actually worked for me. She doesn’t give sob sympathy, but actually listens through what I want to or have to say and works through the problem, not around it. My psychiatrist is also truly amazing, he was my first psychiatrist and immediately got the first psychiatric medication right on the first try. That’s impressive to me. I actually found this practice after going to the psych ED a few months ago, and when I was discharged, I was referred to them. A week later and I saw both my therapist and psychiatrist.
Fast forward to this past Monday, I get a call saying that my insurance has denied all of the claims that the billing department from my practice. Apparently, they had sent the invoices to my parents insurance company, which I never gave them. I used to have Cigna from my old job, but that lapsed last July. My parents have Kaiser Permanente, which partners with Cigna when someone is getting medical services (I think it’s only ER and UC) out of the Kaiser area (I live in NYC, they live in California). I gave them my new insurance in New York, which is Anthem BCBS Medicaid. The billing department said they never had received the Anthem BCBS information me, which I’m almost certain I gave them. Now they’re saying they don’t contract with Anthem BCBS. I would have to pay out-of-pocket for any future visits. Also, all of the claims that were denied now fall on the responsibility for me to pay, which totals nearly $3000 over the span of four months from when my old insurance (Cigna) lapsed to when my new insurance (Anthem BCBS) began.
I’m at a complete loss about what to do. I was struggling to find a therapist and a psychiatrist for months, the only reason I got this one was because I went to the psych ED in the middle of the worst psychiatric crisis I’ve ever had. I triple confirmed with the practice to make sure they accept my insurance, and they said that they did. I seriously do not want to lose either my therapist or psychiatrist. I’m a very full-time student in my last year of undergrad, and I actually took a pause from work so I could focus on finishing up the last of my degree.
Technically, I could accumulate medical debt, since medical debt doesn’t show on your credit report in New York State, but this is risky since I don’t really know how long I could get away with this. The only savings I have left is what’s left from my student loans. I don’t want to go through the process again of finding a therapist and psychiatrist like I had to before I went to the psych ED, but if it comes down to it, I might just have to bite the bullet.
Above all of this, I can’t lose any of my behavioral health services. I’m lucky that I have a month’s supply of my meds, and while I haven’t become solely dependent on therapy, it’s the one thing that I could count on. I can’t lose that, risk diving into another crisis, and going back to the psych ED.
That’s all I have now. Any advice about what I should do?
