Seeing a Psychiatrist: Will Insurance Cover It?

Many insurance companies offer coverage of behavioral healthcare, which includes psychiatric services. You will have to pay out of pocket for medical and mental health costs until you pay a certain amount, which is called a deductible, but insurance companies are required by law to offer equal quality insurance to both mental and physical health ailments if they offer coverage of these services. As long as your insurance offers mental health insurance, copays for psychiatrist office visits should be comparable to going to a medical doctor. Finding a psychiatrist in your insurance’s network is also key to getting the best coverage.

If you or your teen is facing mental illness, you are not alone. One in seven Californians has experienced mental health concerns in their life. At BNI Clinics, our services are rooted in behavioral neuroscience and compassionate care. We aim to serve people of all ages, including those who have tried other treatment centers and haven’t found answers. We take most major insurance.

Psychiatrist Visits: Covered or Not Covered by Insurance?

In order to find out whether your health insurance will cover a psychiatrist visit, talk to your human resource department if you get your insurance from your workplace, or call your insurance company directly. There is also often information on your online insurance portal about what your plan covers.

Questions to Ask About Psychiatric Care Coverage

If your insurance plan includes psychiatric care, make sure to seek out answers to these questions before booking an appointment:

1. Who’s in my network? Your insurance will have a list of in-network, out-of-network, and out-of-pocket providers. In-network providers will accept your insurance plan fully, reducing your overall cost of care. Out-of-network providers will utilize some of your benefits, while out-of-pocket care is covered directly by you. Finding an in-network provider is the most cost-effective when seeking psychiatric care.
2. What will be my copay? You may have to pay a copay when you see a provider, even if they’re in network. This should be about equal to what you would pay at a medical doctor’s office. Your insurance provider will have this information for you.
3. What is my deductible? This is how much you will have to pay out of pocket before your insurance company covers costs.
4. How does billing work? Psychiatrists may vary in how they bill you for their services. Ask your psychiatrist whether they bill your insurance directly and require a copayment from you, or whether they require you to pay for the treatment in full and get reimbursed later by insurance.

How to Check if a Psychiatrist Accepts Your Insurance

Each psychiatrist gets to choose what insurance they accept. The easiest way to see if a psychiatrist takes your insurance is to call them and ask, or look online to see if it says on their clinic’s website. If they are listed on an online database of psychiatrists, the insurances they take may also be listed there.

What Types of Psychiatric Care Are Typically Covered?

If you have private insurance, the types of care that are covered may depend on the level of plan you select. Some may cover more care than others, and each plan will have different levels of coverage. Generally, if your private insurance covers mental healthcare, it will cover some level of:

• Inpatient and partial hospitalization
• Outpatient treatment (includes therapy and psychiatry appointments)
• Emergency care
• Prescriptions

Psychiatric Services at BNI Clinics in California

Psychiatrists are physicians who are trained in both medicine and psychology, which means they can evaluate, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders by prescribing medication, therapy, and behavioral interventions. They can also look at labs and imaging to coordinate medical and mental health care based on what they see.

Clients undergo neuro-imaging and psychological, educational, genetic, and other appropriate testing through the psychiatric services program at BNI Clinics. In addition to these evaluations, clients will also get a medical examination by a primary care doctor and a mental health evaluation by a therapist. Throughout the client’s treatment, providers document the client’s behaviors and have cross-disciplinary meetings to discuss their treatment plan. This ensures all facets are addressed and the focus is put on the individual’s needs and goals.

BNI Clinics is an outpatient mental health center in Agoura Hills, California, that serves clients of all ages. We are run by triple-board-certified psychiatrists who center quality care on behavioral neuroscience, holistic treatment modalities, individualized treatment plans, and evidence-based therapeutic practices. Call us today at 310-691-5005 to learn more.

BNI Treatment Centers: Science-based, evidence-backed, compassion-led.

Dr. Aram Keshishyan, PsyD.

Aram Keshishyan, PsyD. is a bilingual, Armenian-speaking, licensed clinical-forensic psychologist who has been practicing since 2013. Dr. Keshishyan emigrated to the United States at the age of 1 and grew up in the highly diverse Los Angeles County area. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Master of Arts and Doctorate of Psychology degrees in Clinical-Forensic Psychology from Alliant International University, Alhambra.

Arastou Aminzadeh, MD

Dr. Aminzadeh co-founded BNI to provide patients with exceptional and complete care that goes beyond the regular standards. Each individual is unique and based on each person's genetic makeup, some have a more painful response to challenges that arise on their journey and need assistance to get back on track.