If the outpatient mental health item indicates that these services are not covered, then your health insurance plan does not cover therapy services. Therapists often refuse insurance sometimes because of the system. Your insurance company will most likely only cover certain things they consider medical needs. In other words, an expert must perform a complete diagnostic verification of the patient.
After the evaluation and a series of tests, the professional must prepare a mental illness report. Many people need therapy for their mental illness. However, health insurance has a big impact on the likelihood of receiving treatment or not. Studies show that 72% of adults with mental illness have at least one barrier to treatment, such as the cost or lack of necessary health insurance.
A deductible plan means that you pay all your medical expenses up to a certain amount, at which point insurance begins to cover a specific percentage of your costs. Your therapist should be able to provide you with information about the billing codes you use for your sessions and you can confirm with your insurance company what it covers and if there are any limits on the number of sessions allowed. Remember that it's up to the therapy provider and not the insurance company to decide whether or not to accept insurance, regardless of the services covered. Major health insurance coverage providers, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, even cover online therapy as part of their behavioral health services.
Because of this, the patient can worry less about finances and what their insurance will cover and aim for a full recovery. Insurance coverage is confusing, so knowing what questions to ask and how to navigate the system is helpful in accessing services. Cost, not knowing what insurance will cover, and lack of insurance are some of the most common reasons why people who need help don't get the mental health services they need. While not required by federal law, the vast majority of large employers also cover mental health services.
Be sure to ask about your coinsurance, current deductibles, the services that the insurance will cover, and copayments, including out-of-pocket costs. This means that while they don't cover therapy services and allow you to make a co-pay, they will allow full or partial reimbursement for your online therapy sessions. The law requires health insurance plans to cover therapy for mental problems, just as they cover traditional physical illnesses. If your plan has a deductible, you'll want to know how much each session will cost you before your insurance coverage begins.
If you have mental health insurance, be sure to contact your health insurance provider to check what services are covered before you go to the office to schedule an appointment. Even people with good insurance may hesitate to seek health services when they're not sure what they'll cover or won't cover.
