I get great coverage through the husband's insurance. I pay 15 out of pocket per expensive psych meds......pay 20 out of pocket per therapist or pdoc whichever......currently do not see a therapist. I don't blog......I journal on DS.....I tried a blog once but always forgot to do it.....such a waste of my time.....but I am glad that blogging works for you.

i have soso coverage. I pay $500 copay for hospitalization, $40 copay for p-doc visits, (6 per year) $40 for seroquel, and $7 for generic lamictal. I am also on Klonopin for anxiety, but do not remember how much i paid for it. I agree with you though, things have to change on how we are treated, by insurance, ans well as society as a whole.

Agrandkitten - you ONLY get 6 pdoc visits per year?! Please tell me I read that wrong. In or out of network?

My meds are pretty much covered - reasonable co-pays. I have had to change meds so many times that once you hit $2,000 in copays - it's free (at least I think so...because that's what happened to me last year)!

All of my head-docs are out of network (pdoc and therapist). I live in NYC and most of the "good" ones are very expensive. My insurance will cover 45 visits per year (with a $30 co-pay) for IN-network doctors only or 35 visits per year for OUT-of network doctors. That is for TOTAL amount of treatment - not per doctor. So, if you are in an acute state and need to see your therapist twice a week and your pdoc twice and month that means you have eaten up all of your coverage for the year by the end of March! (that's what happened to me). My insurance co pays against the NY state average for doctors in that field - so I get back based on that number. My doctors are SUPER expensive - but damn good.

When I was going through chemo and radiation 13 years ago - I had copays - but never a limit on how many times I could go for needed treatment. Ny State has Timothy's Law (which you can read about on my blog). It protects people like us from lack of mental health insurance. (35 visits per year with a therapist if you going through personal issues is enough---not great....but enough). This law is in place for the more serious mental illnesses. In NY State - If you work for a large corp you MUST get 35 visits a year for mental health care and if you meet one of the following Diagnoses (you are entitled to further coverage):

Schizophrenia/psychotic disorder
Major depression
Bipolar disorder
Delusional disorders
Panic Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Bulimia
Anorexia

There is currently no further treatment for substance abuse(which they are fighting). I fell into a corp America loop hole. My Benefits department will bring my case up (without my name) for review at the end of the year. So they are all aware of how I was left vulernable and potentially without treatment. I have cashed in my 401k at 38 years old (at the bottom of the market) to get treatment for the rest of this year.

What people also don't understand is just because I make it to work everyday and force a smile..."sound" clear headed and bright - doesn't mean I am not very sick. When I went into the hospital last year - my doctor had to make sure the staff understood that I was not doing well - but I may fake it. I rarely let my guard down...and if I do...you know it is REALLY bad. 3 weeks ago - I was in that place. I can't believe I made it through. Right now - I need to go push myself out of the house (I get afraid to leave my home)...off I go...wish me luck! (yikes!).

Please continue to share your insurance stories. AND BE WELL!

I'm on disability so I get Medicare Insurance. It covers about 50% on my Therapy visits and 80% on my pDoc visits. I get my seroquel at $25.00 and my Lamictal for free from being in pharmaceutical companies programs.

I have NorthStar its the mental health component of medicaid where I live. I pay nothing I see a p-doc every 3 mos a t-doc once a week and a limited list of meds from one pharmacy