TRICARE Now Accepts EMDR

Sub title: 

 Was the Last Holdout

Author: 
Robert A. Yourell
Summary: 

This is important for society, given the high rates of unemployment, homelessness, brain injury, suicide, and other problems our veterans are experiencing. 

Despite the numerous studies, the opinions of too many therapists and clients for it to be a cult phenom, and acceptance by all major insurance carriers, TRICARE ("the health care program serving active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, retirees, families and survivors worldwide") seemed to be in no hurry to accept EMDR. 

Now, according to the TRICARE (Published Date 12/09/2010)

"Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is now a TRICARE-covered benefit for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. The coverage is retroactive to April 16, 2007.

"EMDR does not have a specific CPT code and is billed under the individual therapy codes of 90804 through 90806.

"For more information, please refer to the TRICARE Policy Manual CHAPTER 7, Section 3.13 at www.tricare.mil."

The resistance of TRICARE to covering EMDR and to allowing many masters level, licensed therapists to be reimbursed, has made lament over the inadequacy of mental health services available to veterans and their families all the more painful. It's a relief to see this progress, especially with the retroactive benefit. Many veterans have gone outside of their benefits to receive EMDR and really deserve to be reimbursed.