Does Medicare Cover Mental Health Services?
October 9, 2019 | Todd Lewison
There are many services covered by Medicare that you may not realize. Many people with Medicare do not know if mental health services are covered with their plan.
Does Medicare Cover Mental Health Services?
The simple answer: Yes. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) can help pay for covered outpatient mental health services and Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) can help pay for inpatient mental health care. Mental health services helps with conditions like anxiety and depression.
What Mental Health Services Does Medicare Cover?
Outpatient Mental Health Care
Medicare Part B ( Medical Insurance) can help pay for covered outpatient mental health services like family counseling ( if the main purpose is to help with your treatment), psychiatric evaluation, a yearly wellness visit, medication management and more. Medicare Part B covers outpatient mental health services (which includes services that are generally provided outside a hospital) at a community mental health center, a hospital outpatient department and a doctor’s or other health care provider’s office.
Inpatient Mental Health Care
Hospital Insurance ( Medicare Part A) offers coverage for mental health care services that you receive in a hospital that requires you to be admitted as an inpatient. You can get inpatient mental health care services either in a psychiatric hospital or a general hospital that only takes care of people who have mental health conditions. Keep in mind that if you are in a psychiatric hospital instead of a general hospital, Medicare Part A only pays for up to 190 days of inpatient psychiatric hospital services during your lifetime.
For inpatient mental healthcare, Medicare doesn’t cover a phone or television in your room, private duty nursing, a private room ( unless medically necessary), and personal items ( like razors, toothpaste, or socks).
Does a Medicare Advantage Plan Cover Inpatient and Outpatient Mental Health Care?
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you may be wondering if mental health services are covered. A Medicare Advantage Plan still includes the benefits of Original Medicare. A Medicare Advantage Plan covers Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) services and most Medicare Advantage Plans include Part D prescription coverage as well. Many Medicare Advantage Plans include extra coverage for hearing, dental, vision and/or health and wellness programs. Therefore, if you opt for a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can receive inpatient mental health care (provided by Medicare Part A), outpatient mental health care (provided by Medicare Part B) and your plan may include Part D prescription and the extra coverage mentioned above.
Are you still not sure if mental health services are covered by your Medicare plan? To learn more about Medicare Advantage Plans, attend one of our upcoming Medicare workshops or meet one-on-one with one of our knowledgeable Medicare agents.
References:
https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/mental-health-care-outpatient
https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/mental-health-care-inpatient
