For people who need mental health care, insurance is often an afterthought. Until recently, it was difficult to even find insurance providers who were willing to give people the coverage that they needed when it came to healthcare issues of the mind. Fortunately, between state laws and a better understanding of mental health, insurance companies have been put in a position to offer this coverage to their customers as part of their included insurance coverage. With some health insurance plants the coverage is automatically included, but other plans will require separate enrollment and payment of premiums to provide mental health coverage.
Mental health coverage can be purchased by itself or with a physical health insurance policy. You need to check out different insurance companies and see what they have to offer. If you already have physical health insurance coverage, adding mental healthcare services to that insurance is probably a cinch. Of course, you have to make sure that the coverage is worth adding for the cost and that you are getting the treatment and care that you deserve. If you live in a state with laws regarding psychological health insurance, it will be easier for you to find coverage than if you lived elsewhere.
Mental health coverage is designed to cover counseling and other services that involve mental health professionals. Typically, a policy will offer coverage for a certain number of visits each year, as well as expense coverage to help pay for those visits. While some companies might offer 100% included services, most give you mental health visits with 50-80% coverage, leaving the rest as your copayment, which is usually due at the time of service. While many people are looking for professionals who accept payments on a sliding scale because of the high cost of mental health services, insurance can make it easier to choose a professional because of their qualifications instead of their costs.
You should check to make sure that the psychological coverage that you get doesn’t require a referral from a doctor or employee group plan, as well as whether you are required to choose from a preferred list of professionals in the mental health field. It is important to note the number of visits that you are given each year, whether you pay a separate deductible, and the exclusions on your psychological health coverage. As long as you are able to step back and look at these elements, it should be easy to get the coverage that you deserve.
