There are more than 200 classified forms of mental illness. 1 Anxiety is the most common in the United States, affecting 40 million adults age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year. 2 May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and with the country facing new reasons for and levels of anxiety due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we wanted to make sure you know what qualified health plans cover.

But first let’s take a quick detour. A qualified health plan (QHP) is one that covers all the mandatory benefits of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Affordable Care Act provided one of the largest expansions of mental health and substance use disorder coverage. All plans offered through Healthcare.gov or your state’s exchange cover mental health and substance use disorder services. Employer plans vary, if you have employer-sponsored health insurance, be sure to check your plans coverage.

Under the ACA, mental health and addiction treatment are considered among the essential health benefits that the ACA requires all major medical plans to cover. Coverage includes:

  • Behavioral health treatment, such as psychotherapy and counseling
  • Mental and behavioral health inpatient services
  • Substance use disorder (commonly known as substance abuse) treatment

If you’re suffering from anxiety, depression or any of the other hundreds of mental and behavioral issues that affect Americans every day, there is help available and it’s important to know that you’re not alone.

 

1 triadmentalhealth.org
2 https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics