by Megan Warner | Mar 29, 2015 | Maternity, Perinatal and Postpartum Health
Last week I drove up to UConn Health Sciences center and attended an incredible two-day training on Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. Participation in the training resulted in my being given a certificate in Perinatal Mood Disorders: Components of Care, but more importantly, it reinvigorated a passion I feel for working with women in all stages of motherhood, from early considerations and ambivalence about whether motherhood is even a desired path, contending with the journey to become a mother (or not), and then coping with the adjustment to the reality of motherhood once a pregnancy occurs/an adoption is arranged, and a child is on the way. Motherhood is hard. As a mother of two, and as a clinical psychologist who has worked with many mothers, I am not sure there is a more fertile time for personal growth, a more vulnerable time for crisis, and sometimes, both at once, than during the transition to motherhood. When we actually start talking about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety, we get into very serious terrain in the world of maternal and infant health. Can you believe that one in seven women will meet criteria for a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder? Up to 23% of pregnant women will experience moderate to severe symptoms of depression and/or anxiety (Gaynes et al., 2005), and up to 20% of mothers will meet criteria for postpartum depression (Earles, 2010). This is a major public health issue. The impact for women is huge, the impact on partners and marriages dramatic, and the mother-baby attachment is put at risk, which can have huge consequences to a child and family. The...
by Megan Warner | Feb 14, 2015 | Out of network benefits
I accept out of network benefits from other insurance companies. Many people don’t realize that if you have medical insurance, you have mental health coverage. Whereas years ago this was not a certainty, legislation that was passed in 2008 called the Mental Health Parity Act and Addiction Equity Act guaranteed that if an insurance company provides medical care, they cannot restrict coverage for your mental health. This also means that just like a yearly physical (and for women, a yearly well-woman visit to their OBGYN) is now typically covered by your plan, preventative mental health services (e.g. a depression screening) are also covered. See here for a list of preventative services. With the exception of most HMOs, most insurance providers give you the option of utilizing out of network benefits to give you more control over the providers that you want to work with. Certain regions of the country tend to have a significant number of providers that are reluctant to accept the requirements that many insurance companies require, and this includes this area of CT. However, this need not stop you from working with individuals with whom you may be a good fit. It is simple to submit for out of network benefits if your provider is willing to print a “superbill”. This sounds like something more complicated than it is in reality, and so I am including a sample of one I just made for a fake client right here. These are easy for me to print out for you, and if you elect to see me out of network, I think you will be pleased how smoothly the reimbursement process can...
by Megan Warner | Dec 13, 2014 | Practice News
As of December 1st, I am excited to be welcoming new and existing clients to my new location at 133 State St., Guilford, CT. My office is located in the Health Options Center for Wellness, which is on the corner of State St and Rt 1. Call (860)540-4634 for an initial free phone...
