SEATTLE — A letter from the insurance company arrived in a crisp white envelope. Premera BlueCross would only cover $3.24 of an $8,000 psychological evaluation for Jennifer Cohen’s son.
It’s one charge among more than 120 claims Cohen said her family has filed to their insurance companies on behalf of their 17-year-old, who has experienced severe anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD and acts of self harm since early childhood.
Following denial after denial, the Shoreline family racked up $250,000 in expenses for their son’s care, including costs from a three-month wilderness therapy program and a 12-month residential treatment program, incurred between 2021 and 2022.
Their story is familiar for Washingtonians — and people nationwide — with mental health conditions. Getting insurance companies to cover visits and procedures can require knowledge of federal and state laws, awareness of the fine details of insurance plans, and extensive time to debate denials.