Governmental Sources That Pay for Mental Health Care

Mental health care, including inpatient treatment, outpatient counseling and visits to doctors, prescription drugs and other services like electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be very costly. If you have private insurance, it probably covers some mental health services. A number of governmental sources also pay for mental health care for people that qualify for these services. You can receive assistance from more than one governmental source if you qualify for more than one; for instance, some people qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid.

Medicare

• Medicare provides health insurance for many elderly and disabled people. In 2010, Medicare Part A helps pay for inpatient mental health care just like it covers other inpatient medical care. Medicare Part B pays 65 percent of outpatient mental health counseling and 80 percent of outpatient visits to doctors that prescribe or monitor mental health medications. Medicare Part D covers mental health medications just like it covers other prescription drugs. To find out if you qualify for Medicare or to sign up for benefits, contact the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213. If you currently receive Medicare benefits and need more information about mental health coverage, contact 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227).

Medicaid

• Medicaid provides health insurance for many people with low incomes and limited resources, including children, the elderly, the disabled and some other adults in need of assistance. It covers inpatient and outpatient mental health care as well as psychiatric medications. Eligibility criteria and coverage vary slightly from state to state. Not all mental health care providers accept Medicaid, so some people in need of services may have difficulty accessing treatment. For more information about Medicaid eligibility criteria or coverage in your state or to apply for Medicaid benefits, visit the welfare agency in the county in which you live.

Veterans Health Administration

• The Veterans Health Administration covers a variety of mental health services for qualified veterans including inpatient and outpatient mental health care, mental health services for incarcerated vets, mental health case management services, specialized services for female vets and specialized services for vets with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For more information or to arrange for services, contact the Veterans Health Administration nearest you (see link in Resources) or call 800-827-1000.