Does Ambetter Cover EMDR Therapy?

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Does Ambetter Cover EMDR Therapy?

Yes, Ambetter insurance may be able to cover Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in Tennessee, depending on the specifics of your insurance plan. Ambetter of Tennessee includes Essential Health Benefits (EHBs) in their insurance plans. This includes various health management programs¹ for behavioral and mental health services.

Your EMDR Ambetter coverage may require a referral from your primary care provider before receiving treatment. In addition, you may also have to meet a deductible and be responsible for any co-pays. Furthermore, you may be liable for the total cost of the medical bill if an out-of-network provider administers non-emergency treatments.²

How to Verify Ambetter EMDR Coverage

Athena Care’s multiple EMDR clinics in Tennessee are in-network with most major insurance plans. Find out if your insurance provider can help with the costs by calling your insurance company or by contacting us below. One of our care coordinators can help you navigate your insurance coverage and help you get the care you need.

What is Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy?

The evidence-based psychotherapy known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) involves bilateral stimulation while the patient recalls traumatic events.

Bilateral stimulation can take the form of tapping on both sides of the body, side-to-side eye movement, or other comparable behaviors.³

EDMR’s series of mental health assessments use a phased, targeted strategy to treat trauma and other symptoms. Establishing a secure connection between the traumatized person and the images, self-thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations associated with the trauma is necessary. This method promotes the development of adaptive resolution by the brain’s natural healing systems.⁴

How Does EMDR Work?

There are eight stages to EMDR therapy, which typically entail 90-minute sessions once or twice a week:⁵

• Initial history discovery and treatment planning
  • After learning more about you, the therapist creates a treatment plan. This stage addresses the specific issue(s) that caused you to seek treatment and the behaviors and symptoms that went along with it.
• Preparation
  • The therapist will provide particular skills to cope with any emotional problems. Establishing a trusting connection with your therapist is one of the key goals of this phase.
• Assessment
  • To successfully complete this phase, the therapist asks you to access each issue (from phase one) in a controlled and consistent manner.This target could be a particular image or mental representation of the distressing memory and its corresponding negative belief. The objective is to change that negative self-statement into a positive one.
• Desensitization
  • With appropriate shifts and changes in focus, the therapist leads you through eye movements, noises, or taps.This is carried out until the values of the Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) scale are zero (or 1 or 2 if more appropriate).The objective is for you to go beyond your initial goals and heal in ways you never imagined.
• Installation
  • In the installation phase, your goal is to focus on and reinforce your acknowledged positive belief to take the place of your initial negative belief. As a result, “I am now in control” will be installed.
• Body scan
  • The therapist will have you recall the original target issue and check for any remaining tension in the body. Reprocessing then addresses these residual feelings.
• Closure
  • This phase happens at the end of every session. Closure ensures you feel better at the end of each session than at the start.
• Reevaluation
  • The Reevaluation phase walks the therapist through the many treatment strategies required to address your issue(s). This phase happens at the beginning of every session.

What Does EMDR Therapy Treat?

Over 30 studies have shown that EMDR therapy is helpful for issues such as:⁶

• Rape and sexual abuse
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Combat trauma
• Childhood trauma and neglect
• Life-threatening accidents
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Substance use disorder

How To Find Ambetter EMDR Therapists Near Me?

With Athena Care, finding an Ambetter EMDR provider in Tennessee has never been easier. A care coordinator can assist you with any questions or concerns about EMDR therapy Ambetter coverage at one of our multiple locations, open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

In addition, here, you’ll find a list of practitioners organized by city and information about their backgrounds and specialties.

When selecting an EMDR therapist, remember that asking about their education before working with them is in no way impolite. Therapists who wish to offer EMDR can become clinicians trained in the technique by completing an approved training program. The EMDR certification, which calls for additional education and training, is distinct from this. Nevertheless, clinicians with EMDR training are fully qualified to provide EMDR.⁷

In addition to their education, below are a few other things you may want to ask a prospective therapist about:

• Years of experience
• If they have experience treating your specific condition and/or symptoms
• Specialties and services offered
• Treatment methods and philosophies
• Insurance companies they work with
• Office hours
• Pricing
• Session length

How Much Does EMDR Cost Without Insurance?

The following prices are estimates only; actual prices for EMDR testing or treatment in Tennessee may vary depending on several factors, including location and the therapist’s qualifications.

Budget between $100 and $250 each hour or session for EDMR therapy. Considering numerous sessions are required to reach a desirable outcome, the final cost can range from $800 to $2,000.⁸

Sources

1. “Health Management Programs.” Ambetter of Tennessee, Celtic Insurance Company, www.ambetteroftennessee.com/health-plans/our-benefits/health-management.html. Accessed 29 July 2022.
2. “Out of Network Providers.” Ambetter Health, Centene Corporation, www.ambetterhealth.com/disclaimer.html. Accessed 29 July 2022.
3. “EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.” WebMD LLC, 2022, https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/emdr-what-is-it
4. “EMDR Therapy for Anxiety, Panic, PTSD and Trauma.” Remedy Health Media LLC, 2022, https://www.psycom.net/emdr-therapy-anxiety-panic-ptsd-trauma/
5. “Experiencing EMDR Therapy.” EMDRIA EMDR International Association, 2022, https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/experiencing-emdr-therapy/
6. “Research Overview.” EMDR Institute, Inc., 2020, https://www.emdr.com/research-overview/#adaptive
7. Gotter, Ana, and Crystal Raypole. “Considering EMDR Therapy? What to Expect.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 11 Jan. 2022, www.healthline.com/health/emdr-therapy#considerations.
8. “How Much Does EMDR Therapy Cost?” HowMuchIsIt.Org, 2018, https://www.howmuchisit.org/emdr-therapy-cost/