Residential Treatment for Eating Disorders: What Does Your Doctor Need to Say?

Slate.com had a great article recently by Katy Waldman talking about anorexia, and the potentially damaging narratives that even those in recovery from anorexia tell themselves.  As she writes: "[t]he anorexic impulse to lyricize one’s illness is a prescription for estrangement, for controlling and muffling the messy truths about who we are."

In the article, she calls for treatment that addresses the physical issues resulting from eating disorder: nutrition and weight restoration, rather than trying "to crack some psychological code—to unearth the mysterious psychic forces driving the illness "  

Whatever type of treatment a patient and his or her doctors want to pursue, obtaining insurance coverage for treatment of anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders is challenging.  As with many issues with ERISA health benefits and group health insurance, what you think should work frequently doesn't.

In Connecticut, residential treatment of eating disorders, substance abuse and psychiatric illness has been difficult because there were no residential treatment programs for adolescents in the area.  There is now residential treatment for adolescents in Fairfield County, at Silver Hill Hospital, which I discussed in a prior blog post.   But, I believe we will still have many insurance companies denying coverage for residential treatment, even with a local provider.

So, what does your doctor need to say to get coverage for residential treatment of eating disorders, whether it is the "crack the psychological code" treatment or treatment addressed directly to the physical issues of eating disorders that Katy Waldman endorses?

• Typically, a doctor will tell you that:

Residential treatment is the best way for your daughter to recover

That should do it, right?  Nope.  

• What if your doctor tells you:

Residential treatment is the only way for your daughter to recover

That's got to do it, doesn't it?  The purpose of the policy is to provide treatment to cure problems, so if the treatment is medically necessary for the patient to get better, doesn't the insurance company have to pay for it?  

Still nope.  Under most health insurance policies, to get residential treatment for eating disorders, or for substance abuse treatment, or most any psychiatric illness, the doctor has to tell you:

Residential treatment is the only only way to protect your daughter from a serious risk of imminent death or serious injury to herself or others. 

I will post more in in the future about what specifically you need to do to make the best case for residential treatment for eating disorders, substance abuse treatment or other psychiatric issues, including the arcane treatment protocols that you have to follow to get benefits.  But, reviewing the policy and the incorporated treatment protocols before the claim is submitted will give you the best chance to get insurance coverage for residential treatment of eating disorders in Connecticut or in another state.   

An experienced health benefits attorney can help you get coverage for the treatment that you and your doctors think is best for treatment of eating disorders or other residential treatment.  

Residential Treatment for Eating Disorders Now Available in Connecticut

Patients and their parents in Connecticut have frequently encountered great difficultly in obtaining the residential treatment for eating disorders recommended by their doctors.   In the past, residential treatment of eating disorders was only available out of state.  Insurers fought hard to not cover out-of-state treatment, and I think the expense of out-of-state treatment was one reason for that.  I will discuss coverage for eating disorders in a upcoming post, and grounds for appealing a denial of benefits for residential treatment of eating disorders.  

Connecticut now has a residential treatment program for eating disorders.  Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan recently started offering residential treatment.  I hope with in-state treatment available, it may be a little easier to obtain coverage for residential treatment of eating disorders in Connecticut.  It will still be a fight, but maybe we will start a little closer to the goal.