MVP Health Care Eating Disorder Coverage

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Eating disorders are a mental health condition that affects more than 20 million women and 10 million men in the United States, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). These complicated disorders affect sufferers both physically and emotionally and can lead to serious medical problems or even death. That’s why it is important that anyone who has an eating disorder gets professional help.

The sooner people with eating disorders are treated, the more likely they will fully recover. Don’t hesitate to call to discuss treatment options.

Eating disorders include:

• Anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia nervosa
• Binge-eating disorder
• Eating disorder not otherwise specified

Using MVP Health Care for Eating Disorder Treatment

Anorexia nervosa is a condition in which the sufferer is unable to maintain a healthy weight because of a severely distorted body image. Men and women with anorexia will diet and exercise to the extreme. Most will refuse to eat or are very restrictive in what type and amount of food they will eat. They may also lose weight by inducing vomiting or abusing laxatives. Symptoms include hair loss, irregular or no periods, sensitivity to cold and refusal to eat.

People with bulimia nervosa binge eat and purge by using laxatives, partaking in excessive exercise or vomiting. Unlike anorexics, they often maintain an appropriate weight for their height and age, but they suffer from the same distorted body image. Bulimics fear gaining weight and obsess about wanting to lose it. Symptoms include damaged tooth enamel because of vomiting, overuse of water pills or laxatives, depression and anxiety.

Binge eating disorder is similar to bulimia nervosa, except that the sufferer doesn’t purge after eating a large amount in a short period of time. Most binge eaters report feeling out of the control during an episode. Men and women who binge may do so several times a week or even several times a day. Symptoms include swelling of the salivary glands, which will give the face a swollen, chipmunk-like appearance. They will complain of stomach pain, caused by overeating or by the acid reflux that they may develop.

Eating disorder not otherwise specified is a diagnosis given when someone doesn’t have all of the symptoms of a particular eating disorder. For example, a patient may have all the symptoms of bulimia but not fit the medical criteria of how often the binging and purging incidents occur.

Substance abuse, heart conditions, suicide and a wide range of medical conditions, including diabetes, obesity, kidney damage and failure, make eating disorders a potentially deadly condition if not treated. A recent study from the American Psychiatry Association found that anorexia nervosa is the deadliest mental disorder, followed closely by bulimia. Sadly, only 1 in 10 people who suffer from an eating disorder ever get treatment.

Since eating disorders affect individuals both mentally and physically, they need health care professionals who can address both issues. According to NEDA, the most effective treatment includes a team of health care professionals who can work with the patient’s mental, medical and nutritional needs, often including a psychologist, psychiatrist, nutritionist and physician. Treatment includes psychotherapy or counseling and sometimes medication. Much of the treatment is outpatient, but in severe cases, your doctor may recommend inpatient treatment at a rehabilitation facility.

Does MVP Health Care Cover Eating Disorders Rehab Programs?

By using MVP Health Care for eating disorder treatment, it offers a wide range of insurance plans to employers and individuals. Some of the plans do not offer mental health treatment coverage, but others do, often through ValueOptions, a mental health insurance provider for members in New York and New Hampshire, and PrimariLink in Vermont.

If you are unsure about what your insurance covers, please call us today at . We’re available 24/7 to help you.

Inpatient Treatment Length MVP Health Care Will Cover (28-30, 60, 90+ Day)

Inpatient treatment for eating disorders may last from a few last days to a couple weeks. Residential treatment can last a month or longer. According to the Academy for Eating Disorders, residential treatment is usually recommended for patients who have been hospitalized several times and haven’t seen much progress.

Inpatient facilities offer care with 24-hour support and a structured environment. They are often paired with hospital day programs where patients can be treated three to eight hours a day. Patients’ mental health and physical needs are addressed, and they are fed three to six nutritional meals a day. The level of your loved one’s treatment that will be covered by MVP Health Care is determined by the coverage the policy provides for both medical problems and behavioral health.

MVP Health Care Coverage for Eating Disorders with Dual Diagnosis

Part of the reason that insurance coverage for eating disorders is so tricky is because most patients have more than one diagnosis that will involve two different health insurance providers. For example, patients covered under MVP Health Care in New York may also be covered for mental health services through ValueOption. According to your plan’s handbook, what the plan covers will depend on the primary reason you sought treatment.

If a person with an eating disorder already has a medical condition caused by the eating disorder, MVP will cover treatment. If the patient seeks treatment without having a medical diagnosis, ValueOption may provide coverage.

Depending on your plan, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs can vary depending on which insurer picks up the tab and whether you receive treatment in a medical unit or psychiatric unit. If you have coverage for residential or inpatient services, be sure to work with the admissions staff to determine how your insurance company or behavioral health company will be billed.

Specialty Eating Disorder Treatments Using MVP Health Care

As this particular MVP Health Care plan’s handbook points out, if the patient is admitted into a program designed for eating disorders, the health insurance provider and the behavioral health provider will split the cost. That makes it important to know if your MVP plan has mental health coverage through a behavioral health provider like ValueOption or PrimariLink.

How to Cover What Insurance Doesn’t Pay For

Most residential and inpatient centers that treat eating disorders have payment plans for costs MVP Health Care or your behavioral health insurance provider won’t pick up. Even if your plan doesn’t have coverage, financing treatment is an investment in your loved one’s future. To learn about how to find help in treating an eating disorder, call us now.

Verify Insurance Coverage and Find the Best Treatment Programs

Eating disorder advocacy groups like NEDA are places to start when looking for treatment programs, information about insurance coverage, and resources for the patient and their loved ones.

Tools include a treatment finder that allows you to search for help in a particular geographic area, for a particular specialty, and more. If your MVP Health Care plan does not cover inpatient or residential treatment for eating disorders, you can appeal their decision. NEDA’s resources also include sample letters to send to your insurer to start an appeal. As another option for those patients with MVP policies that don’t cover all the costs associated with their treatment, NEDA has links to research studies in which patients can participate that will defray some of the cost.

Work with the treatment center you select to verify your coverage with MVP Health Care. The admissions staff will know how to code the diagnosis and treatment to obtain the best coverage you can receive under your particular plan.
Eating disorders can ruin a person’s life and can be deadly. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, call us today at .