Mental health clearance issues

[KristenLe 5,979]

The surgeon I go to has a counselor on site that I've already seen. She has already cleared me. The surgeon is still requiring the forms from my own therapist and psychiatrist too. He needs to see a history of my bipolar being stable, so even paying another psych footer am evaluation won't work. He needs the history.

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@@WitchySar Is your therapy site licensed by a State Mental Health Dept?? I would do 2 things - inform your Member Services at insurance that they refuse to fill out form and see if they can help. I would also find out who licenses the facility and report them for refusing to complete a form you need for surgery. They can say what they want on form but honestly - they really can't refuse to fill it out. Is it because they don't get paid for forms? What is there excuse? Did they make you aware before you became a patient? You have the right to all of your records - maybe the surgeon will be OK reviewing them instead.

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Edited July 21, 2016 by KristenLe

[WitchySar 244]

Do you know how I find out who licenses them? I assume they are licensed by the state mental health department since they accept medicaid, but I don't know for sure and their website is less than helpful. I don't know what their reasoning is for not filling it out. She just insisted that they "don't fill out these forms anymore." And no, they definitely did not make me aware of this before I became a patient.

[Beck90 189]

Ugh. I don't have a lot of good advice beyond that I empathize. I'm bipolar II and anxiety and it was hard for me to get the psych they wanted me to see to clear me even though my own psychiatrist and therapist did right away. (Kind of the opposite of your situation) hang in there. If they're a big enough practice to have an hr department reach out to them to find out who to call. If not start by calling Medicaid itself and find out who you need to speak with because as far as I know they can't just downright not fill out forms.

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[WitchySar 244]

Dang it. I just checked with a lawyer and they can refuse to fill out any forms they don't feel comfortable with.

[Fredbear 397]

Dang it. I just checked with a lawyer and they can refuse to fill out any forms they don't feel comfortable with.

i.e., they don't agree that you are stable enough.

"When all is said and done, usually more has been said than done. "

[KristenLe 5,979]

What do the forms ask? Is it that form - or all forms.

[RedCheeks 16]

Omg your worrying me with that now. I haven't seen a therapist or been on meds for months. No issues. I had terrible depression following a family death and terrible break up. But I've been fine ever since. But I was hospitalized years ago. I hope they don't turn me down.

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Edited July 21, 2016 by RedCheeks

[WitchySar 244]

My therapist said she would fill out the form and that she feels I'm prepared. She isn't allowed to fill out anything without permission from her supervisor though (I already know this is a fact from another form I needed filled out months ago for a different issue). The supervisor said that they just don't fill out any forms like that at all anymore. It has nothing to do with my stability. There's a spot on the form they could check that says they don't feel I'm mentally stable enough, so if that was the problem they could have done that. So no, that's not the problem.

Edited July 21, 2016 by WitchySar

[theantichick 2,204]

Can you get your therapist to put a note in your record about discussing the surgery and that she believes you're stable enough, and then get a copy of your records?

[WitchySar 244]

Hmm, perhaps. I'll ask her about that at my next appointment on the 15th.

[WitchySar 244]

What do the forms ask? Is it that form - or all forms.

Sorry, I just saw this response. Therapists aren't allowed to fill out any forms at all. I had to have a form filled out for medicaid transport some months ago and someone else there had to fill it out. So they fill out SOME forms, but apparently not these.

[KristenLe 5,979]

Omg your worrying me with that now. I haven't seen a therapist or been on meds for months. No issues. I had terrible depression following a family death and terrible break up. But I've been fine ever since. But I was hospitalized years ago. I hope they don't turn me down.

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If anything - they'll recommend therapy and clear you once they feel you are stable. Just be honest with them - most want to work with you at getting approved.

[Pirate Hartwell 0]

@@WitchySar Please keep us informed. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this

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[RedCheeks 16]

@@WitchySar Please keep us informed. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this

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I hope so. I have my consult with the dr. Scheduled for August 30th. I'm nervous. Trying to lose some weight on this 90 day diet is hard enough with out having to worry about them judging my mental stability off something from 2 years ago.

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Edited July 30, 2016 by RedCheeks

[WitchySar 244]

Still no news. I'm going to call the surgeon's counselor next week and see if anything has changed.

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