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Patient FAQ

You’ve got questions? We’ve got answers. A lot of questions can come up when using a new platform for care. We’ve put together a list of questions that are frequently asked by patients to help you understand our service, how to access care, and to help get you started.

What do I do in an emergency?

In the event of an overdose emergency, please call 911 immediatelyClick here for more info on overdose response.

For more info and confidential support for people at risk of suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

What Do I Do First?

To get started, download our app by clicking one of the buttons below and follow the steps to create an account.

What Happens Next?

Your first session will be with one of our Patient Access Specialists. He or she may ask confidential questions about:

  • Why you are seeking treatment.
  • If you are currently in crisis or having thoughts about suicide.
  • What substances you are currently using or have used in the past.
  • How often you use substances.
  • How your day-to-day life is affected by your substance use.
  • If you are experiencing other issues, such as depression or anxiety.
  • If you have received treatment in the past or have previously been in recovery.

Your understanding of treatment and what it entails.

Will My Sessions Be Private?

Yes. PursueCare adheres to all requirements for privacy, protection and secure handling of your personal Protected Health Information (PHI) required by HIPAA and applicable state and federal laws. HIPAA ensures strict industry-wide standards for how we handle healthcare information, billing, and information from your video visits. This means that our systems use fully encrypted data transmission and secure network and server connections. Your video is never recorded, saved, or stored on our servers or those of our Business Associates, so there is no chance that someone can later view your visit with your doctor or provider.

PursueCare will only share your PHI under certain circumstances, with other healthcare providers directly involved in your care, or with any others that you consent to share it with. You can review our Notice of Privacy Practices at: https://www.pursuecare.com/nopp.

In very rare circumstances, security protocols for any system, including ours, may fail. Such a failure might cause a breach of privacy or PHI. In the unlikely case that such a failure occurs, PursueCare will take all measures required to remedy the failure, and notify you of exactly what occurred, and what information was exposed, if any.

The privacy of your video sessions also depends on you:

Attend your sessions in a private setting that is free from distraction and where others cannot hear you or see your phone.

Do not share your account password with anyone you do not want involved in your care. If you are concerned about password security you can change your password at any time from the Settings tab of the app.

What About Toxicology Screens?

You will be required to submit to a toxicology screen at the outset of treatment. You can do it at home with a kit we will send you, or your Case Manager will provide you with information on where to go locally for a urine toxicology screen.

Toxicology screens test for the presence of opioids and other substances in your body. The results of the screen are confidential and help your provider develop a personalized treatment plan that is safe and effective.

Your provider may ask you to submit to additional periodic screens during your treatment in in order to monitor substances for safety purposes and to promote lasting recovery. The frequency of such screens is determined with you by your provider.

Prior to any screen, you will have a chance to discuss any current drug use or relapse. Good treatment starts with trust, and we encourage you to relate any drug use so we can provide safe and compassionate care. We will keep your screens and your answers to questions about your drug use or relapse confidential.

How Often Will I Need to See My Provider(s)?

Every person is different, and we try to respect what makes you different. That requires us to conduct initial assessments to help determine exactly what type of care, and how much of it, you may need. From there, we create a treatment plan for the first 30-90 days that you have a chance to review with your providers and sign off on. You are a part of determining your treatment, and we pledge to honor your needs and listen to your requests.

Patients who are new to medication treatment and counseling often need to be seen once a week at first. We find that once patients reach the “maintenance phase” of treatment, monthly sessions may be sufficient to monitor and adjust medications as needed.

How Long Will I Be on Medication?

Recovery is a journey. While some people may begin to taper down their recovery medications after 12-18 months, others benefit from longer periods of Medication-Assisted Treatment. Your providers will include you in that decision-making process.

Are Medications for SUD Safe And Effective?

People may safely take medications used in MAT for months, years, several years, or even a lifetime. Plans to stop a medication must always be discussed with your doctor and included in your treatment plan.

Different medications work differently. Buprenorphine is a “partial agonist.” This means that it does cause a limited pleasurable affect, but only enough to stop withdrawal. That allows it to reduce withdrawal, cravings, pain, and other symptoms of opioid addiction, and patients often report feelings of normalcy and better health when regularly taking it.

Suboxone is a brand name for buprenorphine combined with naloxone. Suboxone, and its generic form, have a low potential for misuse because it contains the “partial agonist” of buprenorphine, along with an “antagonist” of naloxone which offsets the ability to misuse it.

Always consult with your PursueCare doctor and your PursueCareRx pharmacist about the benefits and risks of medications for treating Substance Use Disorder.

What If I Relapse?

PursueCare practices “harm reduction.” This means that we accept you as you are, and where you are in your recovery. We know that addiction recovery is a journey. Entering treatment is an enormous step, and people can experience setbacks along the way. That is why we try our best to keep you in our treatment program, even if setbacks happen along the way.

At PursueCare, we will never deny you treatment if you are making an effort to follow the direction of your doctor, regularly make your appointments, and show a desire to recover.

In cases where a patient may require in-person or inpatient care, your Case Managers will provide you with resources and referrals. You can always return to PursueCare when you are ready.

Will My Treatment Be Covered By Insurance?

PursueCare accepts most insurances. When you start treatment, you can enter your insurance through the app to determine if you have coverage under your policy.

Most insurances, including Medicaid and Medicare, now cover telemedicine (sometimes referred to as telehealth) as an accepted form of treatment. Some insurances require you, or us, to take extra steps to request coverage. This is often referred to as “prior authorization” or “case management.” Don’t worry, we will help you every step of the way.

If you do not have insurance, or your insurance does not currently cover PursueCare’s treatment, we offer low-cost self-pay plans starting at $50 per session. We also work with those who qualify for financial assistance plans.

Will I Have a Co-Pay or Deductible?

Many insurance plans, especially private insurance such as those offered by an employer, have co-pays for specialty care like addiction treatment. You also may have a deductible, which is an amount that must be paid out-of-pocket before treatment is covered by your plan. In all cases, we will request your permission to bill you for charges not covered by insurance when there are out-of-pocket costs. You may receive statements from us that detail these balances and make payments at our convenient online payment portal at any time.

How Do I Get My Medication?

As part of your onboarding process, we will set you up with PursueCareRx, our in-house pharmacy that specializes in addiction medication. With PursueCareRx, your prescriptions are mailed directly to your home (a signature is required upon delivery).

To contact PursueCareRx directly:
(888) 644-8326
info@pursuecarerx.com

You can use any pharmacy that you are comfortable with and that will fill your prescriptions. Just let your doctor or a case manager know if you would prefer to use another pharmacy at any time during your treatment.

Will My Medication Be Covered by Insurance?

Most addiction recovery medications like Suboxone, Subutex, Vivitrol, and Naloxone are covered by insurance. In some cases, you can also get lower cost generic versions of these medications.

PursueCareRx, or your local pharmacy, can help you determine which medications are covered, how much medications cost if you are paying out-of-pocket, and whether generic versions of medications are right for you.