Aetna Rehab and Eating Disorder Coverage
When you are seeking assessment and treatment for an eating disorder, having health insurance coverage can greatly reduce your costs for care. If you want to use Aetna Eating Disorder Coverage to cover your medical treatment, then it’s time to find out what this insurance will cover for your needs.
Eating disorders are classified in two groups: bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. Bulimia is more common than anorexia with a rate of 2 to 5 percent of patients, the majority of whom are female. As for anorexia, 1 percent of the American population is diagnosed with this disorder, for whom the mortality rate is 15 to 20 percent.
How Aetna Eating Disorder Coverage Classifies Patients
Patients who are admitted with bulimia under Aetna coverage show the following symptoms:
- Binge eating on a reoccurring basis of at least 2 times a week for at least 3 months, followed by purging or food restriction, AND
- Excessive concern with weight and body shape, often leading to excessive exercise
Those diagnosed with bulimia will typically be at a normal weight with some fluctuations.
Patients admitted under the guise of anorexia typically show the following symptoms:
- The individual weighs less than 85 percent of their recommended minimum body weight and they refuse to gain weight to meet the recommended weight, AND
- An intense fear regarding their being fat accompanied by a distorted view of their body image, AND
- Amenorrhea, which is the absence of at least 3 menstrual cycles in a consecutive order if the patient is a female
What is Covered: Aetna Health Insurance for Eating Disorders
Before you request treatment or medical care under Aetna Eating Disorder Coverage make note of what will be included for this coverage. Services and procedures must be deemed medically necessary in regards to anorexia or bulimia. These are divided into two categories: assessment and treatment. In terms of assessment, the following is covered under this type of insurance:
- Medical evaluation
- Urinalysis
- Psychiatric/psychological consultation and testing
- Electrocardiography
- Liver function tests
- Blood count and serum chemistry
- Bone density measurement
The following treatments are covered by Aetna Eating Disorder Coverage:
- Nutritional counseling
- Psychotherapy
- Pharmacotherapy
Having health insurance coverage that is designed with eating orders in mind increases the effectiveness of the assessment, treatment and aftercare plan. Patients with Aetna Eating Disorder Coverage are rest assured that they can commit to care without having the added burden of paying out of pocket for medical care.