Does health insurance cover mental health and psychotherapy?

The majority of health insurance providers do cover mental health disorders such as psychotherapy. How can you be sure? We review here and provide tips for finding psychotherapy with no insurance.

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Mental health is just as important as physical health, but in the past, many health insurance companies have overlooked this fact. Today, however, the majority of health insurance providers do cover mental health disorders such as psychotherapy.  So how can you be sure?  We review here and invite your questions about health insurance for mental health and psychotherapy at the end.

Insurance coverage for mental health and psychotherapy

Health insurance coverage for addiction should also include mental health and psychotherapy and is becoming more commonplace and more affordable. This is especially true since the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010. This new law prohibits health insurance companies that offer mental health coverage to require higher coinsurance fees for those who need mental health treatment.

However, the amount of coverage that health insurance companies offer varies. It’s important to know whether your health insurance company covers mental health treatments before seeking psychotherapy. While it seems obvious, you can find this information out by reading your benefits guide or calling the company directly.

Does insurance cover mental health and psychotherapy?

If you do have health insurance that covers mental health and psychotherapy, you probably already know that you’ll still most likely have out-of-pocket expenses. This is usually in the form of a co-pay that you’ll need to give to your therapist at each visit. Psychotherapy co-pays can range from as little as a few dollars to over $50. According to a 2006 survey, the average co-pay for a doctor’s visit in the United States was $19.33.

If your health insurance company denied your claim to cover treatment for mental health and psychotherapy, you may be able to appeal this decision. In order to do this, you’ll need to follow the company’s appeals process exactly. You may also need to provide them with evidence, such as a letter from your therapist, that the treatment is necessary for your health and well-being.

Mental health and psychotherapy no insurance

Trying to treatment for a mental health disorder with no insurance can be frustrating and frightening. Fortunately, you don’t need to deny your mental health. You still have a few options to get the treatment you need.

1. Set up a payment plan.  In some cases, your insurance company may not cover psychotherapy at all for various reasons. In these cases, you may need to pay for treatment out of your own pocket. Contact the billing department of your treatment facility to see if they will work with you and allow you to make payments on your treatment.

Some mental health treatment facilities may also consider working out a payment arrangement with you. In this case, you will not need to pay for all treatment all at once. Instead, you may be able to make affordable payments toward your treatment bills.

2. Look into government programs. Second, you may qualify for Medicaid, a government funded program that helps pay for medical treatment, including mental health and psychotherapy. In order to qualify for Medicaid, you must be considered a low-income household.

3. Ask about sliding scale fees. You might also be able to find a mental health treatment facility that offers sliding scale fees. In this case, the fees for your treatment are based on your income, and you’ll only pay what you can reasonably afford.

Medical insurance for mental health and psychotherapy questions

If you still have questions about medical insurance for mental health and psychotherapy, feel free to leave them below. We’ll try to answer your questions you may have and point you in the right direction.

Reference Sources: Medicaid.gov: Mental Health Services
AHRQ: Programs and Tools to Improve the Quality of Mental Health Services
Renee Spencer: Does Health Insurance Cover Psychotherapy
HealthCare.gov: What does Marketplace health insurance cover?
SAMHSA: Health Reform
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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