Is There Insurance Coverage for Therapy?
Short answer, it depends. But, we’ll give you the insights you need to move forward.
by Rachel Linder
We’re probably not the first to tell you, but therapy can be extremely expensive. Depending on the type of specialist you’re looking to work with and the area you live in, you could be looking at paying someone $200 a session or more. That’s a lot to begin factoring into your budget, and oftentimes it can be a deterrent to starting therapy. But, you may be able to start getting therapy without having to pay anything close to those high prices—and some may even be able to get it for free. So before you completely dismiss the idea of starting therapy because of the cost, there are a few things you should know.
There was a law passed in 2008, the Mental Health Parity Law, that “requires coverage of services for mental health, behavioral health and substance-use disorders to be comparable to physical health coverage.” What this means is you could be looking at paying a small co-pay fee or even nothing at all if you have a health insurance plan. Looking for details? We’ve got them.
First, Health Insurance Marketplace plans must cover therapy under the Affordable Care Act. No matter if they’re individual, family, or small business plans, this stipulation applies to all. Though plans and coverage can vary by state, which can dictate co-pay, one thing remains true, you will be covered to some degree on these insurance plans.
The Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) is another form of coverage that allows for mental health co-pays, coinsurance and deductibles to be equivalent to medical and surgical benefits.
Lastly, most Medicaid programs are required to at least partially cover mental health benefits for individuals with those health plans.
If you have private health insurance, you can often find out the details of your coverage by visiting the company’s website or giving them a call. In doing this you will be able to find out the specifics of how much you’d have to pay if you were to start therapy sessions. However, sometimes it will be a lot less than the original session price, as in many instances you are often only responsible for paying the co-pay yourself, leaving the rest up to insurance.
After doing your research, if you find that you do not have coverage for mental health services like therapy, you still have some options. Some therapists will take on some clients for free, or pro-bono, so don’t be afraid to ask about their policies on that if you’re unable to have sessions covered by insurance. Be open to trying group therapy or clinics in your area and community—these will either be low cost or free to sign up. Call your local university, as there can be resources such as graduate student clinics that will allow you to work with someone who is currently being trained in mental health services. No matter what, it’s important to realize that you’re not alone and there are resources to help you start getting the services you need.