Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Medical Assistance Services
 
Board
Board of Medical Assistance Services
 
chapter
Amount, Duration, and Scope of Medical and Remedial Care and Services [12 VAC 30 ‑ 50]
Action Mental Health Skill-building Services
Stage Final
Comment Period Ended on 7/27/2016
spacer
Previous Comment     Next Comment     Back to List of Comments
7/25/16  4:48 pm
Commenter: Redinna Long

MHSS 2 Unit Cap
 

It has come to my attention, the changes Medicaid is considering, involving mental health support. This involves the help I get for the PTSD as well as other mental health issues I currently have.

In my personal opinon I believe this will be determental to every individual involved as well as being highly inconsiderate to those who need mental health support. 

I will use myself as an example. I suffer from severe anxiety, PTSD, stockholm syndrome and depression; as well as severe trust issues, goes to reason from what I listed before. My little world is full chocked full of fun and adventures. If it wasn't for the help I get now, I wouldn't be here and honestly that would be your fault for neglecting mental health clients by not providing personal service. 

I live in a very remote area, where it takes me literally thirty minutes just to get groceries. My appointments are a two hour drive away, so let's put this into persepective, open up your eyes, ears and mind. I go to my doctors, remember this is two hours away, it's a new doctor (trust issues), I need my mental health provider with me, but wait. We have already used up two of those three hours she isn't allowed to go over. We have to wait for my turn to see the doctor; another thirty minutes, in the lobby, fifteen minutes in the room. Well that just sucks for me as my time with my mental health support is now over and she must leave me; two hours from my home.

How do I get home, roll my ownself home in my wheelchair? Yeah, I'm in a wheelchair. Or are you going to come help push me home? We might get there by one in the morning.

Or let's think of this in another way. My clinician can only spend 4.99 hours with me. Same senerio as above, two hour drive there, thirty minutes waiting in lobby, fifteen minutes in doctor office you need to pee in a cup, blood work, examination in that fifteen minutes. Question, when were you in and out at a  doctor's office in fifteen minutes? .

Then I need to get in the car to leave, my chair needs to be put in the trunk or back seat, another 10 minutes.. Oh we also nearly forgot the two hours it takes to get back home.If you count all that time, it's over 5 hours and that is with out obtaining subscriptions afterwards, if needed.  

Unless you supply the clinician with time warp machine, which would be kool, or you like to pay their speeding tickets, because they are rushing to bring the client home as well as trying to not to go over their allotted time, which isn't feasible by any means. The regulations your trying to promote is half-witted and has extremely absurd foundations.. 

CommentID: 50690