When I retired from the Air Force in 2004 I was excited. I did not need a job that required medical insurance for my family and myself. I had Tri-Care, at the time one of the best insurance policies you could have. The 20 years I spent in the Air Force and having medical insurance allowed us to have our own business. I tell people all the time, I did what I had to, 20 years in the Air Force, so I could do what I wanted to when I retired from the Air Force. I decided after retirement that I wanted to go to college, get my degree, and become a licensed mental health clinician to help veterans and their families work through their issues brought on by their service to our country. Because of being retired from the USAF and earning Tri-Care, my wife who is a licensed psychologist and veteran also, have succeeded in reaching our goals of having our own business as mental health professionals.
As we all know, a 20-year Non-Commissioned Officer’s (NCO) retirement does not allow someone to make a living. The reasons I became a licensed mental health therapist was to help veterans who slip through the cracks in the Veterans Administration (VA) mental health system, and take Tri-Care insurance to help Active Duty, veterans, and their families who are struggling. What I found when researching the possibility of taking Tri-Care is how much they have changed since I retired in 2004. They are not the Tri-Care I retired with, it appears they have changed, but not for the better. There are multiple doctors that have stopped taking Tri-Care because of low rates and slow payments. I understand, it’s hard to run a business with the “check in the mail” and not in the bank.
As I was doing research I discovered Tri-Care is pressuring its mental health professionals to take a 30% cut in their pay. Tri-care payments to providers were already lower than most insurance companies and now they want to pay less. After considering taking Tri-Care we found they limit the number of mental health providers in areas. This appears to limit the usage of benefits by veterans and their families to improve their profits. This is going to limit the amount of mental health professionals, including my wife and I, who accept tri-care insurance even if we could get on their list of providers and agree to less compensation.
One thing Obamacare showed us is that insurances are not going to forsake their profits for someone’s life and health. There are no government “death panels” as suggested, however, there appears to be quasi-death panel by the insurance companies. People did not want the government to make life and death decisions, but it appears the profit driven insurance companies are by limiting care for the sake of profit.
With limiting access to mental health services Tri-care is not helping the veteran suicide rate everyone appears to be upset about. I am concerned about Tri-Care benefits because it effects my military family who has served with distinction. If a psychologist or mental health professional quits Tri-Care, which I cannot blame them, will the veteran need to get another mental health professional who is less qualified and willing to take a 30% cut in compensation? It is difficult enough for mental health professionals to build a rapport with veterans and their families. Mental health professionals are not interchangeable like surgical doctors are, once someone steps outside their comfort zone to get mental health services, changing clinicians is a set back to the client and often ends up creating a larger issue for them. Is that what you want in a therapist? someone who is the “lowest bidder”, most veterans have seen the quality of the lowest bidder’s product while serving, veterans and their families deserve better.
I have already seen where Tri-Care has stepped outside the mental health field to get their needs met for psychotropic medications. In one case Tri-Care has listed a pediatrician on their webpage as a psychiatrist. A pediatrician is not qualified to make decisions for mental health patients. For those who don’t know a psychiatrist is a medical doctor with an extra 2 years of mental health studies. Is this their new attitude, accept unqualified doctors to meet their needs because they can pay them less? A mental health career is tough enough already, for Tri-care to be cutting clinicians fees is unacceptable. Mental health professionals are already paid less than most other professionals. Cutting their compensation creates a lot of issues and don’t help. We all know what the suicide rate is for veterans, this is another slap in the face to those who can help prevent veteran’s suicides to save money and grow profits. We have earned and deserve better!
For questions or comments, I can be reached at afterdutyvets@gmail.com or visit our website at marriedtoptsdpro.com and like us on Facebook at Married to PTSD Pro.
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