With about 28 days left in 2021, now is a good time to focus on your wellbeing and take advantage of your health benefits. “What health benefits are you talking about?” is a question we hear often. This article will address frequently asked questions regarding health benefits.
The first step is to call your insurance provider. If you’re not sure who that is, ask Human Resources at work. You can also check the insurance card provided to you by your employer for the name – their contact information is usually printed on the back along with your policy and ID number. Ask your insurance provider what paramedical services are covered under your plan – this information is also available in the benefits information package usually distributed by employers or on your online insurance platform.
Our clinic offers the following services which are often covered by health benefits:
- Registered Social Worker
- Registered Psychotherapy
- Naturopathic Medicine
- Holistic Nutrition
- Chiropractic
- Registered Massage Therapy
Read more about these clinic services here.
Find out the exact dollar amount of what is available for the service you are looking to use. Also, find out the per session coverage and the total coverage per service. For example, a provider may cover 80 percent of the cost of each Psychotherapy session, up to a total amount of $500 per year. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers have actually increased coverage for mental health services, so be sure to check in with your insurance provider.
If you are self-employed, you always have the option of purchasing private insurance at a higher cost. For those who belong to a professional association, you may be able to access their group insurance rate at a lower cost.
Currently, there is no direct billing for psychotherapy. That means that you need to pay for the service and then get reimbursed by your insurance provider. We do offer a sliding scale for psychotherapy for those in need with our Psychotherapy Interns. These are students of a psychotherapy program who are supervised by a senior therapist.
To sum it up:
- Call your insurance company to inquire about how much coverage you have for what services, and what professional designations are covered.
- Inquire about the total amount of coverage per year and the per session coverage
- Now is the time to inquire and access the support that’s already there for you.
The following important links to insurance provider portals:
Now is the time to inquire and access the support that’s already there for you!