Assurant Eating Disorder Coverage

Finding appropriate eating disorder treatment is a crucial step on the road toward eating disorder recovery. But unfortunately, these treatments can be expensive.

Your health insurance carrier plays a significant role in how much eating disorder care will cost you. If you have Assurant coverage, you may have questions about what the company will and won’t cover.

Does Assurant Cover Eating Disorder Treatment?

Assurant healthcare provides a range of affordable health care plans. A Fortune 500 company, they are trusted by members around the world. Assurant gives its members access to a variety of health solutions and also have connections to third-party financial assistance. Keep reading to discover what treatments your Assurant insurance will cover.

What Will Assurant Cover?

Assurant has available insurance plans for the following groups:

• Individual: Coverage for a single person
• International Individual: Coverage for a single person in any country
• Small Groups: Coverage for groups like small business employees
• Short-term: Coverage that lasts for a specific timeframe

In some cases, coverage is available for treatment at specialty rehab centers. These extra-exclusive centers are perfect for business professionals who want to recover in ultimate comfort. To verify this type of coverage, speak to an Assurant insurance agent.

What Does Assurant Not Cover?

Unfortunately, behavioral health treatment coverage isn’t available with Assurant. This includes eating disorder programs for any level of care and specialized dual diagnosis treatment.

Other Ways to Receive Eating Disorder Treatment

If Assurant is your health insurance provider, don’t get discouraged! There are still a few ways to receive help for your eating disorder treatment.

Ask for a Third-Party Referral

Third parties are companies outside of your insurance network that may offer the types of programs you’re looking for.

Asking for a third-party referral can help match you with a provider that offers eating disorder treatment. But keep in mind, since they’re out of network, the service will likely come at an additional cost.

Seek Financial Support

Finding appropriate treatment for something as complex as an eating disorder can be a costly affair.

If you’re having trouble coming up with payments, you can ask if your treatment facility has any financial aid or payment plan options. This will help you make more manageable payments.

Other financial resources may also be available.

Additional Financial Assistance Resources

Eating disorder treatment can be prohibitively expensive in the United States, costing as much as $30,000 per month. [1] Yet, if left untreated, these conditions can be dangerous or even deadly.

You shouldn’t have to worry about not having the funds for life-saving treatment. This is why additional financial resources for eating disorder recovery are so important.

Even though Assurant doesn’t offer coverage for these types of programs, financial assistance for treatment is available from a number of other sources, including:

• Project HEAL: This nonprofit offers financial assistance for individuals with insurance that doesn’t cover their eating disorder treatment. Project HEAL will help with every type of treatment, from residential to outpatient programs. If you can’t find a third-party provider, this can be a great resource.
• Manna Fund: This nonprofit in Georgia helps individuals fund their inpatient and residential treatment. For consideration, make sure you submit your application by their deadlines. Their site also has several eating disorder resources.
• The Kirsten Haglund Foundation: Founded by Kirsten Haglund, crowned Miss America in 2008, this organization provides scholarships to help individuals pay for their eating disorder treatment. The website has an application available for you to apply for assistance. They also provide additional resources to help you find eating disorder treatment and financial support.

How to Find Eating Disorder Treatment With Assurant

Unfortunately, Assurant doesn’t offer coverage for eating disorder treatment. But these steps will help you find treatment elsewhere.

Do Your Research

Even if your health insurance provider did cover eating disorder treatment, the process of finding the right program can be very research-intensive.

Look into the different levels of care for eating disorders, to help determine the type of program you may need.

You can also discuss the best course of action with your primary care provider or mental health therapist. These professionals can help you understand the severity of your symptoms and make additional recommendations for the type of facility that may be most helpful.

Call Assurant

Once you’ve zeroed in on the treatment program you want, you’ll have to call an Assurant healthcare representative to request a third-party referral.

This process allows Assurant to finalize the coverage details with your third-party health insurance provider.

Contact Your Treatment Center

After Assurant finalizes coverage details, you can contact the treatment center to start the application process.

The administration staff should verify your treatment coverage and give you any details regarding extra costs.

Levels of Treatment to Consider

Not every patient receives—or requires—the same level of care to treat their eating disorder.

When considering which type of program will be most helpful for you, it’s important to keep in mind the level of eating disorder symptoms you’re experiencing.

Residential/Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient or residential treatment offers high-level care for individuals with eating disorders. These programs require patients to check in to clinical residences for around-the-clock medical attention and monitoring.

Generally, these programs are recommended for patients experiencing some form of medical instability, including additional health complications, suicidal tendencies, or unstable vitals. But it’s possible for more stable patients to also opt in to this type of program.

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

Partial hospitalization programs (PHP) are ideal for patients with symptoms that aren’t as severe but still require regular medical assistance. Their symptoms may affect the way they function physically or socially, or patients may need additional help or supervision with meals.

This treatment doesn’t require patients to stay overnight at the treatment facility. Instead, sessions are scheduled for around up to seven hours a day, up to six days a week. This allows patients to continue receiving ample support while beginning to process parts of their treatment at home.

In many cases, patients in a residential program may transition to PHP upon completion.

Outpatient & Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)

The lowest level of care is available in outpatient and intensive outpatient programs (IOP).

These types of programs provide the most flexibility, allowing patients to maintain their daily schedule while receiving the treatment needed to continue healing.

Patients choose between morning, afternoon, and evening sessions, which are generally only a few times a week, and only a few hours long.

Outpatient programs are best for patients who have demonstrated the ability to manage their eating disorder symptoms.

Virtual Treatment

Virtual treatment is the most versatile and wide-reaching type of eating disorder care. It allows individuals to receive treatment while at home, where they can choose their own schedule, or access programs that may otherwise be far away from their geographic location.

Even when undergoing PHP or IOP sessions remotely, the quality of care is maintained. All you’ll need is access to a webcam, a computer, and a reliable internet connection.

Resources

Financial Assistance For Eating Disorder Treatment. Eating Disorders. Accessed January 2023.

Published on May 10, 2023 Published on EatingDisorderHope.com