Question:
ANYONE HAVE PSYCH EVALS COVERED BY HMO?

My surgeon, whom i haven't met yet, requires a psych eval before my appointment with him. There is a fee for this, which is apparently not covered by insurance. Has anyone had this appointment covered? I have Aetna HMO of Arizona. I'm not too crazy about paying for this service, especially since I can't meet with the surgeon BEFORE to make sure he is the one I want rearranging my guts! : )    — kkernagis (posted on November 14, 2002)

November 14, 2002
Yes, my insurance carrier, Health Net, covers/requires a psych evaluation, plus any pysch treatment you need for this procedure.
   — David S.

November 14, 2002
My HMO (HMO Blue New England) covered it. Check your insurance card and info though. Often the mental health and substance abuse portion of your plan is administered by someone else other than your normal medical insurer. I called the number on the back of my card and found out exactly which doctors were in network, and also found out that I was covered for six visits a year and DIDN'T need a referral from my PCP, like I did for everything else!
   — sandsonik

November 14, 2002
Katie, I also have HealthNet, and while they didn't refund me dollar for dollar (my Psychologist was out of netwerk), I was reimbursed 80/20 as I had already met my deductible.
   — heathercross

November 15, 2002
I have BCBS of GA PPO. And I have absolutely no psychiatric coverage, but my insurance paid for the entire exam(I had to pay my $20 co-pay). But the doctor's office told me they paid b/c it was a pre-op test. And the insurance company is willing to pay out the $250 for just the possibility that the psychiatrist might say I'm not a candidate for this surgery. Good luck!
   — Kimmie C.