Are shrinks covered by health insurance?
Question:
I'm really considering seeing a psychatist again. I'm insured by Cigna via the Healthy New York program. Would I be able to pick one from a plan and only be responsible for the co-pay? Or would I have to pay more than that? Thanks for any responses.
Answer:
Your best bet is to call member services - the number is on the back of your card. There are literally hundreds of variations of Cigna policies, and no two are exactly alike. By looking up your specific policy, member services can tell you what pertains to your case. Some plans, you only pay the copay. Some plans you're responsible for half the bills. Some plans don't cover it at all. Some plans, you pick from a list of preferred providers, some allow you to see any Cigna participating provider. See what I mean?
Visits to mental health professionals are covered by most health plans. Many plans have a higher co pay ( usually double) for these treatments & often limit the number of annual visits permitted, usually about 26 visits.
Either check the policy, or contact the plan administrator to be sure of details. Sometimes the doctor's office will verufy the benefit for you.
You will have a co-pay. How much you are responsible for will depend on whether or not your psychiatrist is a member of Cigna. You will pay less of a co-pay to Cigna members because they have agreed to a capped price. You might be able to negotiate a lower fee with psychiatrists who are not members. There may also be a limit to the number of sessions allowed or an annual cap as to the amount of money the insurance company will provide—that should apply to both.
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