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Health Insurance with Mental Health

As a rule Health Insurance covers only medical illnesses and provides little coverage for mental illnesses. The state and federal legislation required that Health Insurance provide the same level of coverage for mental illness that it provides for medical illnesses, but complete mental health parity has not yet been achieved. The laws that provide mental health insurance parity are the federal Mental Health Parity Act and Timothy's Law.

However, if your Health Insurance plan doesn't cover mental illnesses you may apply for other plans. The plans that cover mental diseases are Medicare or Medicaid, POS, PPO, Public Mental Health Services and HMO.

Most of plans have a set number of sessions, usually 20 to 30 sessions a year and are expected to pay 20 percent to 50 percent of the bill. Medicare covers 50 percent of most outpatient care. Most insurance companies cover problems from anxiety and depression to relationship difficulties and social phobias, but they are not likely to cover services for weight loss or aromatherapy. IQ tests and screenings for learning disabilities are almost never covered. Mind that your plan may include preferred (in-network) providers. Thus, it may not be possible to see a therapist of your choice.