By David Joel Miller, MS, Licensed Therapist & Licensed Counselor.

Why are there counseling things that insurance does not cover? V and Z codes.

There are lots of life’s problems that need attention, but they don’t fit neatly under our definition of a mental illness. As a result, most insurance providers won’t pay for treating these problems or if they do there are severe limits on the amount of counseling that you can get for these issues.

These everyday problems that can derail someone’s life get a “V” code. That does not mean they are not important, but it does mean that generally, we don’t see them as an illness, more like a challenge the person must face and overcome. There are over 20 of these “V” codes. (In the DSM-5 this list has gotten longer.)

Some of these are the kind of issues that make the news, the partners who kill each other, and the extreme cases of child abuse. They need treatment but we can’t say that every couple who fights is mentally ill. What we can say is that killing your spouse is not normal or acceptable.

Conflicts with other people are a big part of this, Partner Relations problems, sibling relational problem, parent-child relational problem. These conflicts can cause a lot of damage and they need treatment. Marriage, family, and child counselors specialize in just these issues. The list of relation problems goes like this:

Partner Relations problem

Sibling relational problem

Parent-child relational problem

Relational Problem related to medical or mental disorder

Other Relational Problem

There are life-stage issues we all need to navigate. Some of us move through these concerns with no problem. Other people struggle with one or more of these issues. Each of these can become a reason to see a counselor and they do not mean there is anything wrong with you.

Occupational Problem

Academic Problem

Acculturation Problem

Phase of life Problem

Religious or Spiritual Problem

Bereavement

Borderline Intellectual Functioning   

People who injure others need treatment. Sometimes they are required to go for treatment and may even be made to pay for that treatment. Victims of abuse, neglect or violence get a special status in the DSM and their treatment is found under the 995.xx codes, which are almost always paid for by society. The person doing the abuse or neglect gets the “V” code and mostly has to pay for their own treatment. The categories of misbehavior towards others that may be the focus of treatment include:

Neglect of a child

Sexual Abuse of a child

Physical Abuse of a child

Physical Abuse of Adult

Sexual Abuse of Adult

The last group of things that may need attention but don’t get counted as full mental illnesses are things that people do, other than abuse or neglect, that we as a society do not like. This includes things like career criminals who know what they are doing but do the crime anyway. The term “Behavior” is used here to differentiate those who don’t know that what they are doing is wrong or can’t control themselves as in Antisocial Personality Disorder vs. those who know it is wrong and do it anyway, as in Antisocial Behavior. These items include:

Adult Antisocial Behavior

Child or Adolescent

All these things and many more may be good reasons to see a counselor or therapist even if you don’t have a diagnosable mental illness.

Staying connected with David Joel Miller

Seven David Joel Miller Books are available now!

My newest book is now available. It was my opportunity to try on a new genre. I’ve been working on this book for several years, but now seem like the right time to publish it.

Story Bureau.

Story Bureau is a thrilling Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic adventure in the Surviving the Apocalypse series.

Baldwin struggles to survive life in a post-apocalyptic world where the government controls everything.

As society collapses and his family gets plunged into poverty, Baldwin takes a job in the capital city, working for a government agency called the Story Bureau. He discovers the Story Bureau is not a benign news outlet but a sinister government plot to manipulate society.

Bumps on the Road of Life. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, low motivation, or addiction, you can recover. Bumps on the Road of Life is the story of how people get off track and how to get your life out of the ditch.

Dark Family Secrets: Doris wants to get her life back, but small-town prejudice could shatter her dreams.

Casino Robbery Arthur Mitchell escapes the trauma of watching his girlfriend die. But the killers know he’s a witness and want him dead.

Planned Accidents  The second Arthur Mitchell and Plutus mystery.

Letters from the Dead: The third in the Arthur Mitchell mystery series.

What would you do if you found a letter to a detective describing a crime and you knew the writer and detective were dead, and you could be next?

Sasquatch. Three things about us, you should know. One, we have seen the past. Two, we’re trapped there. Three, I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to our own time.

For these and my upcoming books; please visit my Author Page – David Joel Miller

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