Managing Your Mental Health With Or Without Insurance Coverage by Transamerica CenterforHealth Studies (NAPSA)—Mentalhealth is synon- Children’s Health Insurance Pro- gram (CHIP)—In 2017, an estimated ymous with mental wellness. At some point many people will struggle with 9.4 million children were covered under CHIP, funded jointly by states andthe federal governmentfor uninsuredchildren up to age 19. Like Med- their mentalhealth.Just like caring for physical health occasionally requires a visit with a physician, caring for men- icaid, CHIP guidelinesare also imple- tal health may require visiting a mental mentedby eachstate,soeligibility for health professional and, ofcourse, figur- coverage mayvary. In addition,there are many facilities ing outa wayto payforit. Insurance Coverage and PaymentOptions and centers that provide services for those with mental health and or substance use disorder needs at a lower cost or work Numerous programs are available to help uninsured Americans who daily activities such as maintaining ful- struggle with mental health issues. within a patient's insurancepolicy: Whena personis unable to manage filling relationships, working produc- tively, coping with thestressesoflife, or even recognizing one’s ownpotential, he or she maybestruggling to stay mental- ly healthy—whetherheor sheis able to recognize it or not. If a person hashealth insurance,it maybe helpfulto consult with a prima- ry care doctor who could make refer- rals to local services. When individuals. do not have a primary care doctor, they can also use their insurer's website or call center to locate mentalhealth professionalsfor treatment. Individuals whohaveinsurance through an employershould check the Summary of Benefits and Coverage for infor- vate and public facilities, or military health clinics and hospitals. The VA also offers Service-Connected Disability Compensation, which provides a tax-free monthly benefit for veterans whoareatleast 10 percent disabled because of injuries or diseases that were incurredin or aggravated during Part B covers a free yearly depression screening, mental health counseling or therapy visits, as well as outpatient covered with Medicare Part D Pre- butalmostall drugsclassified as antidepressants, antipsychotics and anticonvulsantsare requiredto be covered. Optionsfor the Uninsured 21 percent of employees were enrolled According to a 2017report from Menin these programs. +The Affordable Care Act requires tal Health America, more than 7.5 million health insurance purchased through people with a mental illness are uninsured. the state Exchange to cover mental Paying for mentalhealth services without health, substance usedisorderservices insurance can be costly, but there are some and behavioral treatment for current optionsavailable, including: + Medicaid—A joint federal and state orpre-existing conditions. program that provides free or low+Poor access to and treatment for cost health coverage for disabled permental health can be debilitating for veterans. VA Care is provided at government-ownedfacilities for veterans only, while TRICARE is the govern- ment-provided insurance plan for active-duty or retired service mem- bers (and their dependents) at pri- Health Services Administration fea- type (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, etc.) scription DrugPlanwill varyby plan, tal health or substance abuse, but only affiliate gram that covers almost every senior citizen in the United States. Medicare + Medicare is a government-funded pro- sumerHealthcare Survey foundthat 54 employer-sponsored programsfor men- America tures a behavioral health treatment facilities locator where you can specify the kind of behavioralhealth services services such as individual and group psychotherapy. The costs and drugs percent of respondents have access to Health locations are nonprofit organizations foundin 41 states that help patients navigate the mental health system, providing education, supportservices andrehabilitation services. +The Substance Abuse & Mental active duty, active duty for training or inactive dutytraining. mation on covered mental health and behavioral services. The Transamerica Center for Health Studies (TCHS) Con- Mental you are looking for, your insurance and paymentability (e.g,, slidingscale fee, cash, etc.). + With more than 1,000 NationalAlli- ance on MentalIllness (NAMI)affil- iate locationsandstate organizations, NAMIlists free resources and educa- tional programs. Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics receive Medicaid reimbursement for their mental health and substance use disor- der services, including 24-hour crisis care, care coordination, evi- dence-based practices and integrated physical care. These facilities are currently available in eight states: Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon and Pennsylvania. For more information,including the Exchange guide and State-by-State Med- sons, low-incomeadults, and pregnant women. Every state implements its TransamericaCenterforHealthStudies. est payerof mental health-related servicesin the United States. to researching health care issues facing employers and consumers today. ownguidelines, so coverage mayvary. For years, Medicaid has been the larg- icaid Guide,visit the TCHSwebsite (www. org). Transamerica Center for Health Studies is a national nonprofit dedicated
