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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by harry_in_philly on January 19, 2007, at 1:37:19
Anyone in psychoanalysis? I've wanted to try this form of therapy. Does insurance cover any of it or does the patient generally pay completely out of pocket. Also, do analysts (assuming they are MDs) usually combine medical treatment with psychoanalysis?
Posted by med_empowered on January 19, 2007, at 1:37:19
In reply to psychoanalysis, posted by harry_in_philly on January 10, 2007, at 18:29:22
I imagine the insurance situation varies, depending on the doc and the carrier(s) involved, but most insurance plans don't cover long-term psychotherapies, including psychoanalysis or psychodynamic therapies. So, there's a good chance you'll end up doing self-pay.
Some psychoanalysts are MDs and will prescribe during analysis. Some are MDs but will not prescribe during analysis--to ensure success of the therapy, they may send their patients to another doctor for meds. Some psychoanalysts have PhDs or other non-medical degrees, and so can't prescribe anyway (unless you're in Louisianna or New Mexico)
Good luck
Posted by Phillipa on January 19, 2007, at 1:37:19
In reply to Re: psychoanalysis, posted by med_empowered on January 10, 2007, at 19:36:14
My old pdoc used to do both it was great no more.Now separate docs. Love Phillipa
Posted by laima on January 19, 2007, at 1:37:19
In reply to psychoanalysis, posted by harry_in_philly on January 10, 2007, at 18:29:22
What attracts you to psychoanalyis? Do you mean the classical kind? I wonder how common that is anymore. A lot of insurance has a cap on number of mental health visits per year, and since psychoanalysis is often two times per week (or at least one time per week) indefinately, it might be hard to pay for, I would imagine. I also had an impression that classical psychoanalysts were not too keen on medication, because they liked to emphasize unconscious conflicts as root of mood problems. (Though of course, Freud famously liked cocaine for it's therapeutic benefits.) I'm sure there was/is variation, though. I also thought that psychoanalysis largely morphed into pyschodynamic style therapy.
> Anyone in psychoanalysis? I've wanted to try this form of therapy. Does insurance cover any of it or does the patient generally pay completely out of pocket. Also, do analysts (assuming they are MDs) usually combine medical treatment with psychoanalysis?
Posted by yxibow on January 19, 2007, at 1:37:19
In reply to psychoanalysis, posted by harry_in_philly on January 10, 2007, at 18:29:22
> Anyone in psychoanalysis? I've wanted to try this form of therapy. Does insurance cover any of it or does the patient generally pay completely out of pocket. Also, do analysts (assuming they are MDs) usually combine medical treatment with psychoanalysis?
Unfortunately insurance does not usually cover this sort of treatment. One exception was when I was in college with primary student insurance -- but they were separate people. One was one royal b* of a psychiatrist who I think hated her male patients from having a mind and speaking out about medications, and the other was a pleasant psychologist that I got along with quite well but the student services limited their own visit schedules even if you had insurance that could cover more.
Yes, I am personally in therapy (one could call it psychodynamic I suppose) a psychopharmacologist who is also the main prescriber at the moment for a life-affecting Somatiform disorder which has consumed time, money, and my life that I didn't bargain for but I still have my mind thankfully -- anyway that's neither here nor there for your question, yes he both prescribes and does therapy as an MD/PhD.But its not insurance convered except for prescriptions, I am fortunate to have a family who can care for their only son. Insurance really shortchanges people on what can be invaluable therapy for difficult situations.
-- Jay
Posted by harry_in_philly on January 19, 2007, at 1:37:20
In reply to Re: psychoanalysis » harry_in_philly, posted by laima on January 11, 2007, at 10:16:57
Psychoanalysis is relatively popular here in the philadelphia area. I know of several MDs that still offer it as a form of therapy.
Posted by med_empowered on January 19, 2007, at 1:37:20
In reply to Re: psychoanalysis, posted by harry_in_philly on January 11, 2007, at 17:51:19
psychoanalysis is still around, and there are even interest groups and societies dedicated to it. It seems like the shrink-as-therapist thing is quietly making a bit of a comeback. Since meds work better with therapy, and therapy can work with or without meds, some insurers are wising up and seeing that it can actually cost less to pay a shrink to do 1 hours sessions w/ talking than to pay a med management person and then foist the patient onto therapists who may or may not be talking to the prescriber (and vice versa). Plus, some states allow for therapist prescribers, which I think is awesome.
Posted by Pfinstegg on January 19, 2007, at 11:52:51
In reply to Re: psychoanalysis » harry_in_philly, posted by yxibow on January 11, 2007, at 10:35:32
I am doing it with an MD psychoanalyst, and am finding it extremely helpful. Analysts no longer have to be MD's, though; they can have PhDs, PsyDs, Masters or Doctoral degrees in social work. The main requirement is that they have to have had several years' of psychiatric experience in in-patient and outpatient hospital settings, and then training at a psychoanalytic institute, which involves a number of years of coursework, seminars, supervision, and personal psychoanalysis. So, you get a very highly trained person! Their fees tend to be accordingly high, and, to be in analysis, you need to go 3-5 times a week. Everyone's insurance is different; mine pays for 75% of 50 visits per year-so it runs out fairly soon in the year. So most of my salary is going to my analyst! Luckily for me, my husband also has a salary! I think the analysts are the best ones to go to- they know so much, and deal with things that psychotherapists often aren't trained to help with.
As to prescribing meds, mine doesn't. He prefers to use pdocs and just concentrate on therapy. Others do both, though.
Posted by Daisym on January 19, 2007, at 23:05:10
In reply to Re: psychoanalysis, posted by Pfinstegg on January 19, 2007, at 11:52:51
I think classical analysis is still very much around but it is expensive and time consuming. There are parts of the process that have morphed too - for example not everyone lies on the couch anymore. I go 4x a week but I don't (can't! won't!) lie down. And the process is not "blank slate" at all, it is very much interactive.
Why do you want to try it? What are you hoping to get out of it?
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