Will Your Insurance Cover Your Sessions?

Things you need to know when verifying your mental health benefits:

  1. Be sure to ask for “mental health” or “behavioral health” benefits. They may be different from your medical benefits.
  2. When you call for benefits, you are going to be asking them about individual mental health benefits.
  3. Be sure to tell the person verifying your benefits that you will be seen at office or telehealth. You do not want inpatient or outpatient benefits. These benefits are related to hospitalization for mental health problems.
  4. You can find the number to call to verify your benefits on your insurance card. The right number to call will be designated as customer service, benefits, eligibility, etc.
  5. Do not call a pre-certification number. If your card has a specific number for “mental health” or “behavioral health,” call that number.

Information you need to provide to the person verifying your mental health benefits:

  • Your name, date of birth, address, and phone number
  • If you are not the insured and are a dependent on the policy, you will be asked for the insured’s name, date of birth, address, and phone number
  • Your ID number. You can find this on your insurance card. If you do not know the number, give them the insured’s social security number.

Questions to ask the person verifying your mental health benefits:

  • What is your mental/behavioral heath deductible?
    • The deductible may be different for in-network and out-of-network benefits.
  • Has your deductible been satisfied?
    • If you have called a “mental health” or “behavioral health” number from your card, they may tell you that you have to call the main insurance company for this information.
  • Does the deductible year run from January to December?
    • If not, what is the deductible year?
  • Will you be paying a co-pay, or a percent of the therapy fee?
    • What is this co-pay/percent?