Valérie suffers from sexual health problems. For several months, she has been consulting a sexologist regularly. But not as much as she would like, due to lack of money.
Published at 5:00 a.m.
At $110 per consultation, receiving help is expensive. And his group insurance plan doesn’t reimburse a penny.
“It’s absurd that it’s not covered,” says Valérie, who asks that her full name not be published for reasons of confidentiality.
Only a minority of insurers reimburse sexology services, says the president of the Association of Sexologists of Quebec, Amélie Sauvé.
However, sexologists are qualified and licensed professionals who can assess and treat a variety of sexual and emotional problems.
“I just came from a meeting with a mother whose daughter was the victim of sexual assault and her services are not covered,” says Mme Saved.
One example among many others, she laments.
This is a fight that we have been waging for years against insurers.
Amélie Sauvé, president of the Association of Sexologists of Quebec
Not “sex toy” sellers
The president of the Professional Order of Sexologists of Quebec, Joanie Heppell, finds it “deplorable” that the services of sexologists are not covered in the same way as those of psychologists.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE
The president of the Professional Order of Sexologists of Quebec, Joanie Heppell
Their field of intervention is however broad: sexual trauma, gender dysphoria, sexual dysfunctions, domestic violence, addiction to pornography, etc.
The problems they treat can have significant consequences on the daily lives of those who suffer from them.
No, sexologists “don’t show sexual positions” and “don’t sell sex toys”, quips Amélie Sauvé.
But they can help victims overcome sexual trauma. Supporting adolescents in their search for their gender identity. Or simply heartbroken.
“We do not consider sexologists as important players in mental health prevention,” she laments.
Sexologists holding a psychotherapist license are generally covered by insurance, notes Amélie Sauvé. However, this is far from being the case for all sexologists, even if they offer similar services.
Public waiting list
Valérie does not want to consult a psychologist. “A sexologist is exactly what I need. She is very well equipped to help me in my life,” she emphasizes.
The young woman was stunned when her claim was rejected by her group insurance plan with Desjardins.
“I took it for granted that it was covered,” says the woman, who works for the provincial government.
In a private clinic, the costs of a sexology consultation are generally around $90 to $150 per hour.
Some sexologists practice within the public network, but as in the case of psychologists, waiting lists can be long.
A little less than 1,200 sexologists are currently approved in Quebec, an insufficient number to serve the public network, deplores Joanie Heppell.
“We have all experienced heartbreak. We think that the population deserves more accessible services,” she emphasizes.
Outreach Efforts
The Association of Sexologists of Quebec is frequently contacted by clients whose insurance plan does not reimburse sexology services.
She then sends them a form intended for the insurer and the employer detailing the relevance of covering these services.
However, people who seek to consult a sexologist do not necessarily have the energy or the desire to take such steps, underlines Joanie Heppell.
“When we ask for help, sometimes it’s because we’re not doing well,” she explains.
In recent years, the Association of Sexologists has carried out awareness-raising work with insurance companies.
Employers must also be made aware of this issue when they negotiate their contract, adds Amélie Sauvé.
By email, Desjardins Assurances maintains that it “offers group insurance coverage for services offered in sexology to employers who wish to add it to the social benefits they offer to their employees.”
A victory
The profession of sexologist is specific to Quebec. Elsewhere in the world, the specialty is generally taken care of by gynecologists or even psychologists.
“We can be proud of it,” says Joanie Heppell.
The profession recently achieved a significant gain. Since June, sexologists no longer have to collect taxes from their clients for their psychotherapy services.
The community fought for years to be added to the definition of the term practitioner according to the Excise Tax Actin the same way, for example, as psychologists.
