NEDA TOOLKIT for Parents
Other Steps for Loved Ones
One of the major factors insurance companies use to
determine whether to continue paying for the current
level of care is how the individual is responding to
treatment. This can include physical signs, such as
weight, vital signs, and electrolyte levels. It can also
include the provider’s assessments of the patient,
which rely heavily on what the sufferer discloses during
treatment. Not all sufferers are able and willing to
disclose their internal struggles – such as hiding food,
exercising in secret, and ongoing purging – during
treatment, which would indicate a need for ongoing
treatment at the current level of care or even the need
for more intensive treatment.
hospital or residential facility. Although health care
providers cannot disclose information about the patient
without their permission, that doesn’t mean you can’t
open the doors of communication the other way.
If you see ongoing, worrisome eating disorder
behaviors in your loved one, be sure to document them
and give their providers a written copy. Not only will
this help them receive better care and address issues
the treatment team may not be aware of, it can give
the providers additional ammunition to argue the need
for ongoing care with the insurance companies.
However, loved ones may observe these behaviors
when the eating disorder sufferer is home during the
day or in the evenings, as well as when visiting at a
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