United Healthcare for Depression Treatment
When you are dealing with mental health challenges, it is easy for concerns about the cost to get in the way of your treatment. However, paying for depression treatment might not be as pricey as you think. If you have United Healthcare Insurance, it may be possible to get assistance with your treatment costs.
Will United Healthcare Cover Mental Health Treatments?
Due to the guidelines in the Affordable Care Act, United Healthcare is legally required to treat mental health just like physical health. As long as a patient is diagnosed with a mental or behavioral health disorder, the insurance company must cover their treatment costs. Just like a normal doctor’s visit, United Healthcare Insurance may assist you with paying some or all of your mental health medical bills.
This is very good news if you have any mental health issues. Instead of stressing about costs, you can let United Healthcare help. To get coverage for a treatment, you usually just need to show it is an evidence-based treatment that can help your diagnosed condition. Depending on your plan, you may need to get a referral from your primary care physician before proceeding. Treatments that may be covered by United Healthcare include:
- Doctor’s visits
- Therapist’s visits
- Prescriptions
- Group therapy
- TMS treatment
Keep in mind that United Healthcare does not provide coverage for every mental health care provider. To get coverage for things like depression treatment, you typically need to work with in-network providers. This is a list of healthcare professionals who United Healthcare has closely vetted to ensure they provide qualified medical care. If you choose to get out of network care, you may not get coverage depending on which plan you have. Even when your plan does let you get out of network treatment, it will generally cost more.
How Much Will United Healthcare Insurance Pay for Treatment?
The exact amount that the company pays will depend on your insurance plan. United Healthcare typically counts mental health care as a type of specialist care. You can look on your plan to see how much each visit to a specialist will cost you. This is usually slightly pricier than visits to your primary care physician, but it is still significantly cheaper than costs if you are uninsured.
To estimate costs for mental health care through United Healthcare, you need to understand how your plan works. First of all, you will need to consider your deductible. Until your total costs of medical expenses for the year meets the deductible, you will usually have to pay some or all of your medical bills. Depending on your plan, you may need to pay a copay or coinsurance for each treatment. A copay is a set amount, which is usually between $10 and $100 that you pay for each prescription refill, doctor’s visit, or procedure. Coinsurance is similar, but it is a set percentage of the total cost instead of a flat rate.
Even before your deductible is met, United Healthcare can typically assist you with saving money. When you go to an in network mental health specialist, the company may have negotiated a special deal that lets United Healthcare patients pay less. In just about every situation, the cost of getting mental health care will be cheaper for United Healthcare patients.
Types of Mental Health Treatment Covered by United Healthcare
United Healthcare offers coverage for a variety of treatments. It can assist patients with paying the costs for regular therapy visits or inpatient care at a residential center. Your insurance can also assist you with getting prescriptions covered for any medications you take to manage your behavioral health issues. It may also cover some holistic or experimental therapy in certain situations.
United Healthcare can also cover various medical procedures that may have therapeutic benefits for mental health disorders. One common mental health treatment option is transcranial magnetic stimulation. This entirely non-invasive and pain-free procedure involves stimulating the brain with electric currents. Research has shown transcranial magnetic stimulation can provide benefits for those with medication-resistant depression. Since it is an evidence-based treatment for mental health, United Healthcare will typically help with TMS costs.
How to See If Your Plan Covers TMS
If you are interested in trying mental health treatments like TMS, the United Healthcare website is a good place to start. Log in to your user account to learn all the details about your deductible, copay, coinsurance, and other plan information. With the medical provider search, you can look up in network TMS providers to see what sort of care your plan will cover. The website can help you estimate costs and select covered treatment options.
Another choice is speaking to the United Healthcare emotional support service. They have a 24/7 free emotional support line you can call at 866-342-6892. This support line is staffed by health experts who can discuss your symptoms with you and help you figure out how to shop for treatment. You can also bring up the treatment with the doctor currently handling your case. They can help you figure out if it is a good option for you.
When you are in the middle of a mental health crisis, we know it can be tricky to navigate all the bureaucracy involved with healthcare. Fortunately, you do not have to handle it all yourself. United Healthcare is happy to work directly with your providers. You can visit PulseTMS, provide us with your insurance information, and allow us to verify your coverage for you. We will talk to United Healthcare about your care and negotiate with them on coverage. This makes it far easier to get the care you need without any hassle.
PulseTMS provides compassionate and effective care for a variety of mental health disorders. Get started on the path to health by learning more about how TMS works. If you would like to figure out whether your insurance covers TMS, get in touch with us today to discuss your coverage.
