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Resources for Those Seeking Mental Health Treatment Without Insurance

Posted 24-02-2015

Despite the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, which requires all Americans to have health insurance, it’s estimated that around 41 million US citizens are still uninsured. If you’re one of these people, there’s a good chance you simply haven’t been able to find an affordable health insurance plan with adequate coverage; perhaps you’ve decided that incurring the annual penalty for being uninsured makes more financial sense.

Regardless of your reasoning, the fact remains that without health insurance, obtaining affordable mental healthcare is a challenge. Still, with about one in five Americans suffering from a mental illness each year, it’s important to be aware that there are ways to receive help.

Check a University Clinic

If there are colleges or universities located in your area with psychology, social work, or psychiatric programs, this could work to your advantage. Many university clinics offer low-cost or even free treatment for certain mental illnesses. Yes, you’ll be working primarily with psychology and psychiatric students, but all of these students will be supervised by practicing mental health professionals. As a result, you can get the care you need at an affordable cost.

Look Into Group Therapy

If one-on-one therapy sessions are too expensive, you might want to consider enrolling in group therapy instead. There are many benefits to group therapy, aside from the significantly lower cost. For example, with a group therapy session, you’ll have the opportunity to meet others who may be going through similar troubles as you. This can help to dissipate some of the negative stigma that tends to exist regarding treatment for mental illness.

At the same time, working in a group setting is a great way to see that you’re not in this alone and that you have a support group to help you. If you’re interested in this option, start by researching licensed group therapists in your area.

Research Sliding-Scale Providers

There are some mental health clinics out there specifically meant to serve those who are uninsured, under insured, or simply cannot afford mental healthcare. These are known as “sliding scale” clinics because they base treatment costs on the patient’s income. The idea is that if you make less, you’ll pay less for your treatment.

More than likely, there are at least a couple of sliding scale mental health clinics in your area, so be sure to research this option. Yes, you’ll need to fill out some paperwork and disclose some financial information in order to determine whether or not you qualify. However, if you do, this can be a great way to get the treatment you need at a cost that’s affordable.

Struggling to afford mental healthcare coverage is a problem that many Americans face. And while the country’s system is far from perfect, the good news is that there are a number of viable ways for people to get the mental healthcare treatment that they need at a price that’s affordable to them.

Private Pay Programs Provide Quality Treatment

Finally, there are premier programs like us, who simply cannot take state-funded insurance. To maintain the highest quality of care, all of Pasadena Villa’s programs are primarily private payment. It is also important to note that many private insurance companies do not cover long term treatment in residential mental health programs. However, we will work with you and your insurance company on your behalf to access  any possible insurance reimbursement for our exceptional services.

Our admissions team will coordinate the verification of your benefits to see if you have mental health coverage available and if our services will be covered under your specific policy. Once it is determined that your policy will cover our services, we will coordinate the pre-certification of your benefits as well as ongoing concurrent reviews for continued coverage during the course of treatment. Our Utilization Management and Compliance Coordinator will work diligently with our clinical team to ensure all medical records clearly demonstrate medical necessity, which will significantly increase the likelihood of insurance coverage.

The Villa Orlando and Pasadena Villa’s Smoky Mountain Lodge are adult intensive psychiatric residential treatment centers for clients with serious mental illnesses. We also provide other individualized therapy programs, step-down residential programs, and less intensive mental health services, such as Community Residential Homes, Supportive Housing, Day Treatment Programs and Life Skills training. Pasadena Villa’s Outpatient Center in Raleigh, North Carolina offers partial hospitalization (PHP) and an intensive outpatient program (PHP). If you or someone you know may need mental health services, please complete our contact form or call us at 877-845-5235 for more information.

Sources:

• NewsWeek.com
• NYTimes.com