In the past, insurance companies would often exclude mental health services as parts of their plans. If you tried to make a claim, they would often decline them. This was changed in 2008 with the passing of the mental health parity law. So, what does the law change and how hard is it to get insurance to cover mental health services in Burnsville now?
Copay
Insurance companies would also demand a higher copay for mental health visits. This means that while you may pay $35 for a standard doctor’s visit, you may have had to pay a $70 copay for a visit to a psychologist. This could add up to a substantial sum. Even one copay could be a big difference in the price of visits. Now, however, insurance companies must charge the same copay rate for mental health visits as medical visits.
Limits on Visits
Insurance companies once had the common practice of limiting how many mental health visits you were allowed in a year. For anyone without mental health issues, this is not a problem, but insurance is about covering everyone. Starting in 2008, insurers can no longer limit the number of mental health visits you can make in a year.
It Does Not Make Mental Health Coverage Mandatory
Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments of the law is that it does not require insurers to offer mental health coverage. This means that if your coverage does not specifically call for mental health coverage, then you will not benefit from the parity law. It simply equalizes the terms of mental and medical coverage.
The laws have changed in the past decade and now offer patients more options and protections when it comes to mental health coverage. This is great news for anyone who has had to fight their insurance company to receive coverage for certain treatments and visits. The downside is that it does not make mental health coverage a requirement for insurance companies.
If you are looking for mental health services in Burnsville, then check out River Ridge. You can learn more about them on their website at www.riverridgemn.com.
