Insurance usually covers psychiatry. Here are questions to ask.
You’ve decided to see a psychiatrist to treat your depression, anxiety or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Now you need to pay for it. You may wonder, Will my insurance cover this?
Yes. According to Dr. Timothy Jeider, co-founder and board-certified psychiatrist at Psychiatry Connection, mental health parity laws require most health insurance plans to cover mental health care the same way they cover physical health.
As with other medical services, mental health care may involve:
- Copays: Fixed amounts patients pay for specific covered services such as doctor’s visits or prescriptions.
- Deductibles: Amounts patients pay out of pocket annually before insurance covers services.
Copays often range from $10 to $30. In many cases, patients pay the copay without needing to meet the deductible first.
How to Check Your Mental Health Benefits
Patients should check with their insurer to see how much of their deductible has been met and whether the service is covered under that deductible, Jeider said. Insurers can also confirm which psychiatrists are in network and how many sessions are covered. If mental health care isn’t covered, patients may want to consider switching insurers, he said.
Insurance Coverage for Psychiatry Services
Psychiatry Connection accepts Medicare, the federal insurance program for older U.S. residents, and Medicaid, the federal program for low-income residents. In states where the practice operates, these programs cover patients at no additional cost. Patients who receive care from other practices should call to confirm that the provider is in network and that services are covered, he said.
The practice also sees patients with plans that limit the number of covered psychiatry sessions; patients can confirm with their insurers how many visits are included.
How Psychiatry Connection Helps With Insurance
“We reach out and confirm with your insurance that you have coverage, that we’re in network and that you’ll be able to get services with us,” Jeider said. “We also help walk you through your benefits and let you know where your deductible stands and how much you might pay. We try to make that easy so you don’t have to do the complex thinking.”
Psychiatry Connection devotes a whole section of its website to helping new patients resolve frequently asked questions.
