Using Cook Children’s Health Plan for Bulimia Treatment

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Bulimia is a serious physical and psychological disorder that affects many adolescents, teens and adults. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reports that nearly 24 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder, and nearly all instances begin before the age of 20. Bulimia — a disorder that is defined by binge eating and then forced purging of food — leads to death in approximately 3.9 percent of all cases.

If you or a loved one is suffering from bulimia, it is important to take the necessary steps toward getting help as soon as possible. Call us today at to learn more about treatment options and health care professionals in your area. If you or your family member is covered by Cook Children’s Health Plan, an administrator for STAR and CHIP Medicaid and low-income insurance plans, you have access to many different facilities and doctors that can work with you to overcome the hold that bulimia has on your or your loved one’s life.

Using Cook Children’s Health Plan for Bulimia Treatment

The Cook Children’s Health Plan covers patients in the following northern Texas counties:

• Tarrant
• Denton
• Wise
• Parker
• Johnson
• Hood

As administrators for government-funded insurance plans, using Cook Children’s Health Plan for bulimia treatment is as simple as arriving at a diagnosis of the eating disorder and working with a team of professionals to map out a recovery plan. Because bulimia is rooted in psychological feelings of body inadequacies and uncontrollable binging and purging episodes, it is classified as a mental health disorder.

The Cook Children’s Health Plan has a special mental health hotline for patients in need of immediate care and counseling. Called LifeSynch, patients with bulimia and other psychological disorders can call 1 at any time of day or night. Because of the serious nature of eating disorders, no referrals are necessary through the Cook Children’s Health Plan, meaning that patients can begin by self-referring to plan-covered physicians or visiting an emergency room at any time.

For help finding the nearest facility or support as you or your loved one battles bulimia, call us at . We’re available 24/7 to take your call and connect you with vital resources.

Does Cook Children’s Health Plan Cover Bulimia Nervosa Rehab Programs?

Through its administration of STAR and CHIP insurance plans, Cook Children’s covers a full range of treatment options for bulimia nervosa rehabilitation. Some of the options covered by STAR and CHIP include:

• Inpatient and outpatient behavioral health facilities and services
• Psychiatric counseling
• Detox and rehab programs
• Preventative and emergency care

Bulimia affects all patients differently, so you can expect the treatment plan drawn up by your team of professionals to be individualized to your needs or the needs of your loved one. The Cook Children’s Health Plan eating disorder coverage includes all services deemed medically necessary that are part of typical or traditional health protocols.

Inpatient Treatment Length Cook Children’s Health Plan Will Cover (28-30, 60, 90+ Day)

The treatment of bulimia nervosa often includes an inpatient program to stabilize a patient whose physical health has been severely impacted by the eating disorder. The amount of time that someone with bulimia spends in an inpatient facility can vary widely, however. This depends upon the patient’s overall health, any co-occurring disorders and other factors determined by health care professionals.

Inpatient treatment can be accomplished in different types of facilities. While a patient’s needs may initially dictate admission to a hospital setting, later treatment may be accomplished at a skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation center. CHIP patients of the Cook Children’s Health Plan are limited to 60 days within a skilled nursing center in every 12-month coverage period. If you are in need of additional services traditionally provided in an inpatient setting beyond the initial 60 days, your healthcare team and health plan administrators may be able to design options to ensure that your health needs are met.

Because CHIP and STAR are government-run insurance plans, they carry mandates that patients cannot be denied care due to financial status. This means that while coverage of inpatient treatment may expire at 60 days, additional care, in some form, must be offered to ensure continued progress toward overall health.

Cook Children’s Health Plan Coverage for Bulimia Dual Diagnosis

Many instances of eating disorders occur at the same time as other mental health diagnoses. The Cook Children’s Health Plan covers a bulimia dual diagnosis for patients in the same way as an individual diagnosis of bulimia. Dual diagnosis situations can include substance abuse, other psychiatric disorders or other health issues that have effects and outcomes that are interrelated with the eating disorder.

As a comprehensive health coverage plan administrator for STAR and CHIP, the Cook Children’s Health Plan offers access to a wide variety of physicians, counselors and other health care workers who work together to offer treatment plans that deal with the full spectrum of what a patient is facing.

To learn more about how a dual diagnosis may affect you or your loved one or for information on facilities in your area, call us at to connect with specially trained staff who are available at all times to address your eating disorder and behavioral health concerns.

Specialty Bulimia Treatments Using Cook Children’s Health Plan

Patients with an eating disorder like bulimia often respond differently to a wide range of treatment options. From differing types of counseling to outpatient experiences, you or your relative may see progress from participating in specialty bulimia treatments using the Cook Children’s Health Plan for eating disorder treatment. Coverage of specialty treatment is dependent upon the medical necessity of such a treatment and whether that treatment is considered conventional or experimental. Treatments that are experimental have not yet gained government approval or are outside of protocols developed by experienced health care professionals.

The Cook Children’s Health Plan does not cover experimental treatments. Only your team of health care professionals can accurately determine what is necessary for you to conquer the hold bulimia has on your life.

How to Cover What Insurance Doesn’t Pay For

STAR and CHIP patients in the Cook Children’s Health Plan have access to comprehensive coverage of medically necessary treatments with very minimal out-of-pocket expenses. Medicaid dictates cost limitations by income ranges, thus ensuring that patients are not required to pay more than they can afford. CHIP, a type of insurance in the state of Texas for low-income families who are not eligible for Medicaid, limits personal expenditures per year. Once this limit is hit, patients receive a new insurance card that removes any financial responsibility for copays or co-insurance.

At times, however, this still leaves patients with expenses that can be difficult to manage. Some of these expenses might include experimental therapies or treatments provided by non-covered or out-of-network facilities. When at all possible, work with your health care team to ensure that all treatments are covered and all doctors and professionals seen are part of the Cook Children’s network. If this is not possible, you may need to seek out other options, including government emergency assistance programs, self-pay programs that allow payments over time, or local grants and funds set aside to assist low-income families. Patients may also be able to participate in clinical trials through the government for further eating disorder treatment options at no cost.

Verify Insurance Coverage and Find the Best Treatment Centers

The time to begin treatment for bulimia is now. Left untreated, bulimia can affect every major system in your body and lead to poor health in the long-term or even to death. To verify your insurance coverage by CHIP or STAR through the Cook Children’s Health Plan, call the CCHP hotline at 1 . We’re also available to take your call and help you find the best treatment centers for bulimia. Call us at to get started today.