Repeating the Same Bipolar Behavior
Published: Mon, 08/02/10
Hi ,
How's it going?
Hope you are doing well.
There was a girl I knew once who had
borderline personality disorder.
She didn't have the highest income she
could have had, so sometimes it was
difficult for her to see a psychiatrist or to
get medications.
This was especially true since she didn't
have medical insurance.
But she was resourceful.
She discovered methods of finding low
income psychiatric care and medications
that I didn't even know about at the time.
Maybe some of these methods will help
you.
If you happen to have a school of
psychiatry anywhere near you, or even if
you have a school of psychiatry that
has a branch in your area, then you can
ask if they have a local residency program.
This is a program that allows psychiatrists
in training to see patients so that they can
finish learning.
Usually these professionals, albeit still
in training, are nearly as knowledgeable
and skilled at their work as any
practicing psychiatrist.
In the meantime, because they are in
training, their rates are usually cheaper, or
they may even go on a sliding scale.
A sliding scale is something that is
important to know about.
It is a scale that bases your fees on your
income bracket.
Each place that has a sliding scale works
differently as far as income brackets,
requirements, and fees goes.
You can ask at your local psychiatrist's
office whether they have the option of
a sliding scale, and if so, how their
version of it works.
After all, it's not just residency programs
that have sliding scales.
So it's worth asking if another place does
or not.
Insurance is the most obvious way to get
around paying high fees for a psychiatrist.
But there are tricks to insurance that you
may not have known.
Some insurance policies will only allow
you to see certain doctors, or may have
cheaper co-pays for certain doctors, so
you will want to ask your insurance
company what their policy is on
psychiatric care in specific.
Also, most insurance will not pay for
pre-existing conditions until you have
been with them for so long.
Ask your insurance company if they will
cover your condition at all, and if so to
what extent.
Sometimes you will find a psychiatrist
who functions in a primary care group
setting.
When you find this, the group may be
able to bill your insurance to the primary
care group, instead of to the psychiatrist
themselves, which will cause it to look
different to your insurance company.
You may also find a psychiatrist through
a specific program that is free of charge
or very cheap, but who will not write
prescriptions.
In this scenario, you can have him or her
recommend a medication and dosage to
take to your primary care physician.
Most primary care physicians are willing
to prescribe psychiatric medications if a
psychiatrist has recommended them.
As far as medications go, start off by
asking if there is a generic version to the
medications you need to take.
Generics are usually much less expensive.
Also, look for prescription discount
programs.
Some of these you can find online, if you
search for them.
Others you can get through a pharmacy,
or through your psychiatrist.
Different pharmacies also have different
starting prices for their medications.
Don't be afraid to call different pharmacies
to "shop around" before you pick one.
If you really just cannot afford your
medications, then there may be a
assistance program through the brand
name's company that will pay for your
prescriptions for a certain amount of time.
Ask your psychiatrist about this; they will
know whether there is one, or at least
know how to find out.
You can also find coupons for your
medications, or get samples from your
psychiatrist.
There are many ways of being
resourceful when it comes to finding
low income psychiatric care and
medications.
Other options are out there as well, you
just have to keep your eyes open for them.
What ways can you be resourceful when
it comes to these things?
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http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/bipolarsupporterblog/repeating-the-same-bipolar-behavior/comment-page-1/#comment-19764
Your Friend,
Dave
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