Finding Mental Health Care

Samantha, 36, was depressed for months after her mother passed away. The first medicine she tried made her mouth too dry. The second reduced her ability to enjoy sex. “I talked to my doctor about the problems, and we finally found a medicine that I could live with.”

More stories.

If you think you might benefit from mental health care services, talk to your doctor or call your plan directly to find out what’s offered.

Topics on this page

• Talk to your primary care doctor
• Talk to your plan
• What health plans must cover
• Optional services
• Choosing a mental health care provider

Talk to your primary care doctor

• Your doctor can prescribe some medicines, like drugs to treat anxiety and depression.
• Your doctor can also refer you for counseling or other help if you need it.
• Some plans have classes to help you deal with problems like anxiety, depression, and stress.
• More information on mental health issues.

Talk to your plan

• Ask what services are covered and how to get the service you need.
• Sometimes mental health services are covered by a separate behavioral health care plan. You can call this plan directly. The phone number may be on your membership card.

What health plans must cover

• All plans must cover mental health care for major depression, bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder, panic disorder, anorexia or bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder.
• Plans must also cover children’s severe emotional disturbances and pervasive developmental disorders.
• Plans must provide the same benefits for these mental health problems that it does for other health problems. This includes evaluation, testing, treatment, outpatient care, and hospital care. This is called mental health parity.
• The co-pays or co-insurance must be the same as they are for other health problems.
• If your plan covers prescription drugs, drugs for these mental health problems must also be covered.

Optional services

These services vary a lot from plan to plan. Ask your plan for information. Typical benefits include:

• A limited number of visits to a counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist.
• A limited number of group counseling sessions.
• Up to a month of hospital care, or a shorter stay with follow-up care.

Choosing a mental health care provider

• Look in your plan’s provider directory or on its website.
• Ask which providers speak your language.
• Ask your doctor and friends for recommendations.
• You can change to another mental health provider in your plan if you are not satisfied with the one you have.

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