Psychological treatment has become just as popular as medical treatment these days, for the most part because people understand the relationship between having a healthy body and a healthy mind. One simply cannot function properly if the other isn't and therefore a total body approach is necessary. However, has the health insurance industry caught up to and acknowledged this same school of thought or is it still difficult to find health insurance that offers coverage for psychological help. Let's take a look to see if we can find the answer.

To start with, we need to establish how the insurance industry and lawmakers term this type of treatment. What we call psychological treatment, they refer to as "mental health" treatment. The reason they do this is because a recent law has come into being that acknowledges the need for mental health services, but wants to separate them from substance abuse services. The reason is that many do not cover substance abuse unless it is an emergency or has a life threatening impact on someone's daily routine.

The good part of this is that most health insurers now cover mental health treatment as equally as medical health treatment. Typically, most insurers allow 20 to 30 visits per year, although a co-pay of 20 percent to 50 percent may be required. Typically, most visits cost anywhere between $75 and $175 per hour and although it can be viewed as expensive, having the costs cut in any way possible can make a difference. Seniors of the age 65 or older covered under Medicare are able have unlimited visit at a co-pay of 50%.

Typically most mental health coverage will include depression, anxiety, and social/relationship issues, but often will not cover weight loss or other similar types of issues. Depending on your coverage, you may or may not have the ability to choose your own therapist. Although when using an HMO you will have a choice of those in the network, you will not be able to choose anyone in the phonebook.

Some medical healthcare insurers will require a referral for mental health treatment while others may not. Typically, prescriptions from a psychiatrist are covered the same manner in which other prescriptions are covered, with a typical co-pay of a few dollars. Your treatment is confidential and will not go on your public record unless you have issues arise in which the therapist thinks you might harm yourself or others. However, your insurance company will be made aware of appointment dates and diagnoses.

Although this wasn't always the case, knowing that health insurers now understand the need for both mind and body treatment is a very reassuring thought. For far too long, people had to foot the bill for their own treatment, which can be extremely expensive over the long-term. Knowing that you can now share the cost with your health insurance company is great, but also consider the fact that the stigma of mental health treatment has diminished as well. Now that psychological help in the United States is more understood than ever, it allows people the opportunity to receive help and/or treatment without risking their job or credentials. These days, it is quite common for everyone to see a therapist of some sort at some point in their life.