Medicare & Mental Health Coverage
Most Medicare provides mental health benefits. You can find more information on this topic in your Medicare booklet under “Behavioral Health Services” or “Coverage for Mental Health Services.”
Medicare can cover therapy but we recommend you contact Medicare directly to determine your coverage level.
Medicare usually covers the cost of psychiatry but we encourage you to contact Medicare to determine your coverage level.
We recommend you check the description of your plan benefits listed under “Behavioral Health Services” or “Coverage for Mental Health Services.”
If you are unable to find this, contact your insurance carrier directly.
Medicare is the federal health insurance for people in the United States that are 65 or older. You may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease). For many individuals over the age 65, they may experience declining health and the challenges of managing multiple diseases. This can put people at risk for mental health conditions like depression or anxiety.
Medicare covers many benefits to care for individuals’ mental well-being, including psychological counseling, preventive screenings, and outpatient treatment programs.
Original Medicare
Original medicare has 2 parts; Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance). The individual has the choice of doctors, hospitals, and other providers that are accepted by Medicare. Generally, a person would pay a deductible and coinsurance for Part A and Part B services. If an individual chooses to buy a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy, the Medigap policy may pay some of these costs.
Medicare Advantage (MA) Plan
Medicare Advantage, which can also be called Part C, which includes Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance). The individuals can choose from private insurance companies approved by Medicare. Individuals usually pay a monthly premium for the MA Plan (in addition to a monthly Part B premium). An individual may pay a copayment or coinsurance for covered services.
Many MA plans have a yearly limit on the out-of-pocket costs. Once you reach a certain limit, they pay nothing for covered services for the rest of the year. Out-of-pocket costs may be lower in an MA plan.
Sources: Medicare
The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical insurance information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 (in the United States) immediately.