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Let’s talk about mental health care and insurance. A thread.
We have had multiple insurance plans via different employers that cover/don’t cover certain things.
We have worked with therapists and psychiatrists who are in network and some who are out of network.
We have had multiple insurance plans via different employers that cover/don’t cover certain things.
We have worked with therapists and psychiatrists who are in network and some who are out of network.
With out of network folks sometimes we get money back from insurance, but we pay the full fee upfront.
With in network folks the insurance does their thing and then we get billed.
In almost all cases though we are on the hook for 30-50% of the full price.
With in network folks the insurance does their thing and then we get billed.
In almost all cases though we are on the hook for 30-50% of the full price.
And the full price of a session with a trained professional is NOT CHEAP. And it shouldn’t be!
The work they do is so vital and important. They deserve EVERY CENT.
But that also means we dedicate a sizable portion of our income each month to mental health care.
The work they do is so vital and important. They deserve EVERY CENT.
But that also means we dedicate a sizable portion of our income each month to mental health care.
And we have been for over 15 years.
In that time under various plans we pay less or more or pay out of pocket until we hit our deductible, but the cost of these services hasn’t really dramatically changed.
What has changed is how much our insurance covers.
In that time under various plans we pay less or more or pay out of pocket until we hit our deductible, but the cost of these services hasn’t really dramatically changed.
What has changed is how much our insurance covers.
Now let’s talk medication for mental health.
This also varies greatly. Some plans require us to do mail in with exceptions for medications that are controlled substances.
In many cases we are paying $100s each month until insurance kicks in.
This also varies greatly. Some plans require us to do mail in with exceptions for medications that are controlled substances.
In many cases we are paying $100s each month until insurance kicks in.
Once insurance kicks in we are on the hook for anywhere from 10-20% of the cost.
And we get penalized by some plans if we don’t switch to mail order (which is not reliable right now due to the PO issues).
That’s still usually in the $100-250 range each month.
And we get penalized by some plans if we don’t switch to mail order (which is not reliable right now due to the PO issues).
That’s still usually in the $100-250 range each month.
So why am I sharing this?
1. To shed light on how expensive and difficult it can be to get proper mental health care.
2. To share the financial burden that many people in the personal finance community don’t understand.
3. To normalize this conversation.
1. To shed light on how expensive and difficult it can be to get proper mental health care.
2. To share the financial burden that many people in the personal finance community don’t understand.
3. To normalize this conversation.
We LOVE the providers we have and we had to figure out who fit and who didn’t before finding where we’ve landed now. Would happily pay their full fees each month if we had to.
We can afford to pay for mental health care, and found ways to prioritize it when we had less income.
We can afford to pay for mental health care, and found ways to prioritize it when we had less income.
BUT it shouldn’t be this expensive, this difficult to find someone to help, and it should be normal to share mental health care.
Now I’m off to pay the $1,200 I owe one of our providers since our new insurance is still in the deductible phase.
Now I’m off to pay the $1,200 I owe one of our providers since our new insurance is still in the deductible phase.
