Community Health Choice Eating Disorder Coverage

View all insurance carriers

Each year, eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia threaten the lives of more than 24 million Americans. These disorders are primarily a problem for women, but men and boys can suffer from eating disorders as well. Community Health Choice is a southern Texas insurance provider that serves hundreds of thousands of members through the Texas medical system. Thanks to a completely localized system, the company is able to provide care specifically tailored to the residents of its communities. Eating disorders are among the most common mental health illnesses covered by Community Health Choice.

Does Community Health Choice Cover Eating Disorders Rehab Programs?

Community Health Choice provides patients with access to more than 8,000 physicians and health care facilities in the southeastern Texas region. Eating disorders can be incredibly dangerous mental health conditions, and anorexia is the mental illness with the highest mortality rate. Up to 20 percent of those with anorexia alone will die from conditions that are strongly related to their eating disorder. For this reason, Community Health Choice offers comprehensive diagnostic services and behavioral health treatment options for patients suffering from eating disorders.

If you or a loved one is suffering from a serious eating disorder, it should be relatively straightforward to get coverage through your existing Community Health Choice plan. Some common symptoms of an eating disorder include:

• Fear of weight gain
• Refusal to eat
• Negative self-image
• Excessive exercise habits
• Mood swings

If someone you know exhibits these signs, seek consultation with a licensed physician to determine whether that person has an eating disorder. If you would like help finding treatment options in your area, call our toll-free helpline at . We are here 24/7 to take your call and help you connect with the resources you need to recover.

Inpatient Treatment Length Community Health Choice Will Cover

Inpatient treatment for eating disorders is commonly prescribed for those who are unable to adequately recover at home. Because eating disorders are such serious conditions, extreme care is generally taken to make sure that improvement happens as quickly as possible. The conditions associated with eating disorders are often life-threatening. Bulimia can cause the esophagus to erode and lead to various types of cancer, while anorexia and bulimia both lead to malnourishment and, in extreme cases, starvation. If your body fat percentage decreases to a certain level, your bodily functions will begin to shut down and finally cease altogether.

Those with eating disorders are usually unable to identify the negative changes in their body for what they are. While a healthy person would realize that losing such extreme amounts of weight is a bad thing, someone with an eating disorder feels a sense of accomplishment with each pound lost. Eating disorders are categorized as mental illnesses because they involve a distortion of people’s self-perception and the way they relate to food.

Due to the complex nature of eating disorders, inpatient treatment lengths of up to 90 days are common. If you have lost a significant amount of weight and your body fat percentage falls below a certain level, it is very likely that your doctor will recommend an emergency inpatient treatment stay. In such cases, it is almost certain that your Community Health Choice plan will offer at least partial coverage for treatment. While the average length of treatment is 30 days, longer stays are common for more serious conditions.

Community Health Choice Coverage for Eating Disorders With Dual Diagnosis

Eating disorders commonly co-occur with other mental illnesses, and it is even possible to have more than one eating disorder at a time. It is not uncommon for someone with anorexia to also have bulimia, or for a bulimic to also have binge eating disorder. You may alternate between the patterns of each disorder or express them all at the same time. Those with disordered eating patterns that do not meet the criteria for anorexia or bulimia are generally diagnosed with an eating disorder not specified.

On the other hand, many people also have eating disorders alongside other mental health illnesses. Many mental health disorders are significantly linked to genetic markers. In fact, as much as 50 percent of the genetic variability in those who suffer from eating disorders can be attributed to hereditary causes.

Some of the most commonly comorbid mental illnesses in individuals with a diagnosed eating disorder include depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and ADHD. These conditions can cause the symptoms of your eating disorder to be even more exaggerated, so it is important to seek treatment for all related conditions in order to achieve maximum recovery.

If you would like help finding mental health treatment options, call us any time at . We are available 24/7 to connect you with the resources you need. When it comes to dual-diagnosis care specifically through Community Health Choice insurance, you can rely on the company’s various outpatient and inpatient services for mental health.

Specialty Eating Disorder Treatments Using Community Health Choice

Community Health Choice covers treatment through specialists, although many companies require a referral from your primary care physician before you will be allowed to see a specialist. As long as your specialty treatment provider works within the Community Health Choice network of 8,000 providers, it is relatively easy to get coverage. If your specialty care provider for eating disorder treatment works outside the network, your rates may increase. You may have to pay out of pocket for other treatments, such as acupuncture and long-term treatment stays.

How to Cover What Insurance Doesn’t Pay For

Even if your Community Health Choice will not cover a particular treatment or an out-of-network provider, you can often still get affordable treatment. In-network providers are covered because they have made previous arrangements with Community Health Choice to offer services at specific low rates. Other providers may be willing to negotiate a lower rate with you if they know that you are paying out of pocket for your care.

Many university treatment centers and hospitals offer discounted or free care to those willing to seek treatment from students. In these settings, licensed professionals with years of experience practicing and teaching supervise medical students. These centers can be an affordable option when your health care plan won’t cover everything.

Verify Insurance Coverage and Find the Best Treatment Centers

Community Health Choice is one of the most reliable and comprehensive mental health insurance providers in Texas. The company offers a variety of options to customers who are dealing with serious eating disorders, and Community Health Choice has a positive reputation when it comes to treating these disorders with the serious care they warrant.

If you or a loved one is dealing with the symptoms of an eating disorder, seek help through an in-network treatment provider. From inpatient treatment care to outpatient therapy, options are available that work for every lifestyle and every budget. The most important thing is to find help in treating eating disorder as early as possible.

It’s also important to remember that even the most innocuous diet can turn into something dangerous. In fact, 35 percent of dieters wind up developing eating disorders. Using Community Health Choice for eating disorder treatment provides the inpatient and outpatient treatment that can change your life if you take the first step and seek help.

When you need help verifying insurance coverage and finding the best treatment centers in your area, call us at . We are available to work with you to understand your Community Health Choice coverage policy and figure out the steps you need to take to get better. Regardless of what eating disorder you have, your Community Health Choice plan can get you started on the road to a healthy relationship with food and nutrition.