Follow Up On the Bid to Get Out of HPMP Early

In a previous post, I expressed my desire to get out of the Virginia Health Practitioners' Monitoring Program early. I had my case manager staff it and I found out on Friday that the answer was 'No, and I have a week to comply with contacting and setting up an appointment with a therapist that the staff at HPMP wanted me to see.'

I do not want to see this therapist. It is not that I am opposed to counseling; it is that I cannot afford this therapist and the urine drug screens both. I have insurance but this provider would be considered out of network.

I was given the name and number of a therapist in Richmond that does grief counseling and offers service on a sliding scale. I looked at the scale and based on my income, it would be about $57/session, which is something I can afford as opposed to the $110-115 that these providers charge per session without sliding scale or insurance. In addition, the therapist that I was given the name and umber to is LGBT friendly and that is very important to me. I am not saying that the provider that HPMP wanted me to see is not LGBT friendly--I don't know; however, I do know the one I was given a number to is.

I gave my case manager the name of the therapist I want to go to and she is going to staff it and see if I am approved to see this therapist. I did not tell my case manager about the LGBT friendly part on the phone; I sent her an email later Friday evening about the LGBT part. I hope HPMP takes that into consideration.