Who on Earth Can Fill Out My FMLA forms?
March 1, 2022 3:00 PM Subscribe
Being put on medical leave at work due to depression. My psychiatrist does not fill out FMLA forms. What now?
Due to a recent flare up of my depression, I am basically unable to function. This did not go unnoticed at work, and they have offered to put me on medical leave, with pay through the short term disability insurance I have as a benefit. For this to happen I need a doctor to fill out and sign paperwork. However, the provider I've been seeing is through my insurance's online telehealth portal, and they do not fill out FMLA paperwork.
I scheduled an appointment with a local psychiatrist for tomorrow, but it will be his first time seeing me. I didn't bring up the particulars of my situation when scheduling; not enough spoons. Just looking for insight and/or reassurance that he will do it, or advice on where to turn to get this done. I'm not well at all and fear of keeping my insurance/income is causing me to spiral.
Due to a recent flare up of my depression, I am basically unable to function. This did not go unnoticed at work, and they have offered to put me on medical leave, with pay through the short term disability insurance I have as a benefit. For this to happen I need a doctor to fill out and sign paperwork. However, the provider I've been seeing is through my insurance's online telehealth portal, and they do not fill out FMLA paperwork.
I scheduled an appointment with a local psychiatrist for tomorrow, but it will be his first time seeing me. I didn't bring up the particulars of my situation when scheduling; not enough spoons. Just looking for insight and/or reassurance that he will do it, or advice on where to turn to get this done. I'm not well at all and fear of keeping my insurance/income is causing me to spiral.
Best answer: I don't have specific advice, but do have an anecdote of the "I was worried about something like this and it was okay" variety. I too needed to take FMLA leave immediately for mental health, and figure out the paperwork later. I was in an outpatient program, and agonized over the forms worried that for some reason I didn't qualify or that the doctor wouldn't want to fill them out. When I finally made the conversation happen, the doctor was extremely helpful in completing the paperwork and invested in making sure that things went well.
One thing I have found helpful for me is leaning on existing relationships, because for me finding and establishing a relationship with a therapist/psychiatrist/etc feels like a nightmare. Can the telehealth provider you've been seeing help make a recommendation for who/how to proceed?
posted by yaarrgh at 3:21 PM on March 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
One thing I have found helpful for me is leaning on existing relationships, because for me finding and establishing a relationship with a therapist/psychiatrist/etc feels like a nightmare. Can the telehealth provider you've been seeing help make a recommendation for who/how to proceed?
posted by yaarrgh at 3:21 PM on March 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: yaarrgh that's very reassuring! And not a bad idea to question my telehealth provider, though, because depression, I missed our last appointment.
Complicating things is the fact that I am new to where I live, which is why I've just been seeing an online psychiatrist. I haven't had a physical since arriving here so I don't have a primary care doctor at the moment. I am actually leaving the state in two weeks to go stay with family which is where I'll seek inpatient/intense outpatient treatment, but work is bugging me to get this paperwork in ASAP.
posted by nancynickerson at 3:28 PM on March 1, 2022
Complicating things is the fact that I am new to where I live, which is why I've just been seeing an online psychiatrist. I haven't had a physical since arriving here so I don't have a primary care doctor at the moment. I am actually leaving the state in two weeks to go stay with family which is where I'll seek inpatient/intense outpatient treatment, but work is bugging me to get this paperwork in ASAP.
posted by nancynickerson at 3:28 PM on March 1, 2022
Best answer: Anecdotally, a new MD filled out FMLA paperwork for me for depression after my first visit with her. I had depression documented in my chart and she had me take the PHQ-9 and asked some other questions about how I was doing.
The paperwork part was pretty stressful for me too since I wasn’t functioning well, I’m sorry you’re dealing with an extra hurdle.
posted by momus_window at 4:19 PM on March 1, 2022
The paperwork part was pretty stressful for me too since I wasn’t functioning well, I’m sorry you’re dealing with an extra hurdle.
posted by momus_window at 4:19 PM on March 1, 2022
Not sure how this works with respect to locality requirements or insurance, but maybe ask your family to ask their doctors if they could do this for you remotely before you come?
posted by trig at 4:22 PM on March 1, 2022
posted by trig at 4:22 PM on March 1, 2022
Best answer: When you see the psychiatrist, bring the info you would need to put them in touch with your telehealth provider. I have definitely had a fairly anonymous provider fill out insurance forms after I put them in touch with the (in this case physical) therapists who were doing the treatment but not "qualified" to fill out the forms. I had to spend a little effort to figure out how to get them in touch--if you go to the appointment with the contact info for your therapist, you'll be ready to put the coordination problem into the new provider's hands.
posted by gideonfrog at 5:42 PM on March 1, 2022
posted by gideonfrog at 5:42 PM on March 1, 2022
Response by poster: Thank you all so much. I saw the new psychiatrist today and he didn't even blink about signing my forms, AND he was so so helpful and prescribed new medication that he feels confident will help. Hearing from those of you who have been down this road was so comforting <3.
Edited to add: great advice re: having my telehealth records, which he did want to see!
posted by nancynickerson at 10:27 AM on March 2, 2022 [9 favorites]
Edited to add: great advice re: having my telehealth records, which he did want to see!
posted by nancynickerson at 10:27 AM on March 2, 2022 [9 favorites]
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posted by pinochiette at 3:20 PM on March 1, 2022