Disconnect On Texas Workers' Compensation
If you search for a Texas Workers’ Compensation psychiatrist or a Houston workers’ compensation psychiatrist, you may not connect with Dr. Covert as one of the very few board certified and experienced psychiatrists still accepting Texas Workers’ Compensation cases, Office of Workers’ Compensation Program (OWCP) Federal Workers’ Compensation cases and Defense Base Act cases.
Some workers’ compensation insurance carriers in association with employers and with the Texas legislature limit your choice of a physician to treat your industrial injuries and the psychological consequences. Victims of rape, robbery, assault and devastating personal injuries (traumatic brain injury, toxic exposures, orthopedic and other industrial injuries) are further traumatized by resistance to or denial of their legitimate Texas Workers’ Compensation claims. The symptoms you may experience as a result of the psychiatric component of your injuries, may include depression, insomnia, severe pain syndromes, habituation to narcotics and PTSD.
Now there are rules requiring that you accept "treating doctors" in your employer’s "network list," doctors that control your care, are copied with correspondence and can make referrals to other specialists you need to see. Network doctors are controlled by employers and can be taken off the list for "non-performance." Ironically, in-network treatment has been found to be more expensive on average than out-of-network treatment.
Dr. Covert, as a Texas Workers’ Compensation psychiatrist and a Houston Workers’ Compensation doctor, is a patient advocate and will help you to make the system work for everyone, including you.
Posted on 2-8-2011 | Permalink
Many Americans with Mental Illness Are Not Receiving Treatment
Recent survey finds 20% of Americans experienced mental illness in the past 12 months. In the past year, 45 million individuals developed mental disorders, but less than 40% of these received mental health services. 20% of the 45 million also had a comorbid substance disorder. This rate is about three times higher than the general population. This survey indicates that over 60% of those with mental disorders in any given year go undiagnosed and untreated.
With looming state and local budget cuts, reducing community health and state hospital services, the public and law enforcement officials will need to be more wary and will need to raise their level of awareness about how to deal with symptomatic people in the general population. Unfortunately, many families first access emergency mental health services with a call to 911.
Dr. Covert responds to his patients’ needs by scheduling appointments for evaluation soon after each prospective patient calls. Also, each patient is provided with appropriate objective psychological screening testing to insure accurate diagnosis and effective and timely, evidence-based psychiatric treatment.
Posted on 2-1-2011 | Permalink
