With much of the country under stay-at-home orders, many therapists and psychiatrists are conducting appointments by videoconference or phone, but Heather Z. Lyons, PhD, a licensed psychologist at Baltimore Therapy Group, explained that even before the coronavirus pandemic, therapists saw value in providing these services to patients.
"Some patients live in rural areas, others are so debilitated by their illness that it's hard to get to the office, and some have difficult schedules or lack transportation," Dr. Lyons told POPSUGAR, noting that for this reason, teletherapy makes sense for many patients — and research shows it's effective.
Unfortunately, Dr. Lyons said that insurance companies often make it difficult or impossible for patients to be reimbursed for these services. Look closely at candidates' comprehensive healthcare plans and proposals, and contact your representatives if they don't clearly state that telemedicine must be covered by insurance.
