ValueOptions Eating Disorder Coverage

View all insurance carriers

According to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, 8 million people in the United States suffer from some type of eating disorder, and at least 1 million of those diagnosed are men. Eating disorders are conditions characterized by excessive and unusual eating patterns and behaviors. Bulimia and anorexia are two of the more common conditions you might hear of, but the term also includes several other conditions.

Using ValueOptions for Eating Disorder Treatment

ValueOptions is just one insurance provider that may cover your stay in a treatment center or other types of treatments for your condition. If your spouse or children suffer from a similar condition and are on your plan, they should also be covered. If you’re curious about which clinics and doctors accept ValueOptions, call us at . We can do the hard work and research for you and help you find a treatment facility that can help you deal with your condition.

Does ValueOptions Cover Eating Disorders Rehab Programs?

Learning more about the symptoms of various eating disorders can help you look for the warning signs in yourself or someone you love. The Mayo Clinic lists some of these symptoms as:

• Changes in menstruation or menstrual cycles
• Difficult sleeping
• Poor dental hygiene
• Excessive use of laxatives or other over-the-counter products in an attempt to reduce weight gain
• A distorted body image or decreased self-esteem
• Feeling sad, depressed or anxious after eating
• Inability to eat around others

The Mayo Clinic also differentiates between anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating. Binge eaters will frequently and uncontrollably eat large amounts of food. Those dealing with anorexia typically suffer from low self-esteem and feel like being thinner will make their lives better. They will hide their lack of eating from loved ones, exercise frequently and constantly worry about gaining weight. Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that causes an individual to binge and purge on a regular basis. Some patients will even purge in the middle of a meal. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 86 percent of those with eating disorders report having developed the disorders by the age of 20.

ValueOptions covers trips to rehabilitation centers and residential treatment centers. The company requires the patient to meet a series of criteria before the stay begins. ValueOptions requires that you have a current diagnosis from a doctor that meets the DSM definition of that condition and that you experience problems in the home that would make treatment difficult. Using ValueOptions for eating disorder treatment will also allow a rehab stay if you have tried other treatment methods before or if you have needed multiple hospitalizations in the past.

Inpatient Treatment Length ValueOptions Will Cover

ValueOptions generally recommends outpatient treatment for those struggling with bulimia, but those dealing with binge eating disorder or anorexia nervosa have access to more treatment options. How long you can stay in an inpatient treatment center depends on the severity of your condition. ValueOptions suggests a combination of pharmacology and psychotherapy for binge eaters, but it suggests more self-care and family care for bulimics. Those suffering from anorexia can attend nutritional rehabilitation, psychotherapy sessions or family therapy sessions or receive pharmacological treatment.

Talk to your doctor about how long you should stay in an inpatient treatment center, and talk to your insurer about the options available to you. If you have any other questions about inpatient or outpatient treatment options and how find help in treating an eating disorder, give us a call at .

ValueOptions Coverage for Eating Disorders With Dual Diagnosis

Like many other insurance companies, ValueOptions uses the DSM-IV to determine if a person meets the criteria required for a dual diagnosis. Someone suffering from a dual diagnosis must meet the criteria for a specific mental health condition and substance abuse.

Whether the company will cover you depends on the conditions you have. The company lists mental health conditions as including major depression, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and psychotic disorder. Depending on the severity of the eating disorder, some doctors will list that condition under bipolar disorder or depression. Before seeking treatment for both an eating disorder and substance abuse, the patient must receive diagnoses for both conditions.

Specialty Eating Disorder Treatments Using ValueOptions

Doctors consider eating disorders as mental illnesses, and ValueOptions offers multiple types of services for its customers. It covers emergency care for those who need help immediately and those who are a threat to themselves or others in their homes.

Inpatient and outpatient treatment options are also available. Some patients opt for structured day treatment services, which include partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs. Intensive outpatient programs ask that patients spend a minimum of nine hours at the treatment center every week, and some programs require that patients spend at least two hours there every day.

Partial hospitalization is an option available to those who need more care than a residential center might offer but don’t require full hospitalization. This can include patients who need a place to stay before moving to a treatment center and those who are dangerous to others around them. ValueOptions also offers day treatment for those who need help and support. Day treatment is a good option for those who need to continue attending school or who work fulltime jobs. The insurer asks that you spend a minimum of nine hours each week in day treatment and no more than three hours there every day.

How to Cover What Insurance Doesn’t Pay For

According to the Biennial Health Insurance Survey, more than 80 million people in the United States are uninsured or underinsured. When you have health insurance, it’s easy to assume that your insurance will cover all your health care needs, but some people find that their insurance does not cover the type or duration of treatment they need.

Though ValueOptions offers multiple types of coverage for eating disorders, your exact coverage varies based on your policy. Once you start researching different programs and costs, you might find that the company only covers a percentage of your stay or that it doesn’t cover inpatient treatments. However, that doesn’t mean you should give up on finding treatment for eating disorder.

Many centers now offer methods to help you pay for the necessary treatment. You can often get financing or work out a long-term payment plan. Don’t forget to look for programs that offer sliding scale options as well. If your income is low, the facility might charge you a much lower rate than it would charge someone with a higher income.

Verify Insurance Coverage and Find the Best Treatment Programs

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 28 percent of those diagnosed with an eating disorder sought treatment in the last 12 months, but not all of those in treatment had insurance to pay for the costs they faced. We believe that you deserve the best health care regardless of cost. When you contact us, we can help you find treatment centers that accept ValueOptions, but we can also help you find other affordable options. We look closely at treatment options in your area and find out more about your situation to determine which options may be the best for you. Our representatives are available 24/7 to help you get the treatment you need.