I want to see a gender therapist soon but I'm wondering if there's anything I need to do to ensure nobody else finds out about it? My main concern is my family somehow finding out through the use of my insurance. It's my insurance and they're not on it in any way, but perhaps maybe a bill would be mailed to the house? Or something would be needed when I file my taxes?, which my Dad does for me.
It is likely a statement of some sort will be sent to your house. It won't contain any specific info that you relate to your therapist. So even if somebody opens your mail, they will find a receipt to some department with total costs, total covered and what you might owe. Taxes are a nonissue as you won't spend enough to report medical expenses.
My advice; nobody should violate your mail. If they do, tell them you are in therapy and it's between you and your therapist. Right now they don't need to know anything else. But they might get nosey if a medical bill shows up every month. But lots of people go to therapy for different reasons so it shouldn't raise too many questions.
Specifics should not show up on the bill. It would be a violation of HIPA laws concerning security of privileged medical information. :)
I've also heard of therapists coding the condition, if at all necessary, as "anxiety" or something non-gender related for insurance purposes. This is more of use if it's a shared company policy and someone in accounts or HR might see it, but as Jessica mentioned it still shouldn't contain any confidential privileged information.
Quote from: Jessica15 on May 06, 2014, 01:14:20 AM
I want to see a gender therapist soon but I'm wondering if there's anything I need to do to ensure nobody else finds out about it? My main concern is my family somehow finding out through the use of my insurance. It's my insurance and they're not on it in any way, but perhaps maybe a bill would be mailed to the house? Or something would be needed when I file my taxes?, which my Dad does for me.
I pay my therapist by check each time I see her. She never mails anything. Therapy does not affect my taxes at all.
I receive reimbursement checks from the insurance company which do list the provider and a number code for the diagnosis. There's nothing on the envelope, though, other than the name of the insurance company. Unless your father is opening your mail, it should be OK.
I hope this helps.
My go-to line at work has been 'I'm seeing a councilor about some personal stuff,' it sounds softer than 'therapist.' if people probe further I do the whole 'look, I'll tell you when I'm ready' thing and then I follow it up with a 'hey, by the way, [insert some important sounding question or statement].' if I get called out for changing the subject, I reiterate, 'I'll tell you when I'm ready and not before.'
Also talk to your therapist about why you want to hide it. Sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it's irrational.
Not sure if that helps. :P
You might want to ask whats on the bill/receipt from the therapist to make sure.
My therapy bill/receipt has this on it:
Diagnosis, DSM-V: 302.85 Gender Dysphoria in Adults
but the bill/receipt is emailed directly to me so there is no possibility of anyone intercepting it.
Mailings depends on how the office runs things. If I have a balance due and I guess depending on when they run accounts due, I think twice I got a statement. Most times I am awake enough in the morning to remember a check.
Unless you have a ton of medical expenses, don't worry about taxes. Basically unless something catastrophic happened or major surgeries, you will never meet the deduction limit which is MUCH high than the limit for itemized deductions.
Both of my therapist code the visits appropriately, Depression and Anxiety. Like what trans person is not depressed or does not have anxiety? So far my med insurance has not bounced the hormones. Most insurance policies do have an exclusion for transgender related services. Docs who see us are mostly aware of this nearly universal policy