Question: I am trying to find a plan that will cover out of network mental health treatment. I have been seeing a very costly therapist and am hoping that by enrolling in an expensive insurance plan, i can decrease that monthly amount by a bit. It is very hard to find information about out of network coverage on insurance websites- i mostly find a line that says "copay will be higher". I was looking at blue cross blue shield ppo plans. am i correct in assuming that if my therapist bill is 250 a session- they will cover only 50%? so, i would pay 125+ office visit (35 for higher plans)? Are there any better options?
Answer: Out-of-network benefits are reimbursed at a level much lower than 50% of the provider charges. The plan pays 50% of the carrier's allowable amount, not the provider's bill. For example: your therapist charges $250 per session. The insurance company's in-network allowable amount for this treatment could be as low as $75. Your benefit amount would be half of $75, not half of $250. In addition, out-of-network coverage has a separate deductible, usually 150% to 200% of the in-network deductible. Long story short, out of network coverage sucks. Better option? Find another therapist.
Not only are out-of-network benefits significantly reduced compared to in-network benefits, but using the example that Phil provided, if the total bill is $250, and the allowable in-network expense is $75, the unpaid difference between $250 and $37.50, $212.50, will be your responsibility, and is known as “balance billing.”
Your PPO/POS health plan has one deductible for in-network expenses, another for out-of-network expenses (which may or may not apply to behavioral health charges), as well as different out-of-pocket maximums for in-network and out-of-network expenses. In either circumstance, balance-billed amounts are not applied to deductibles or out-of-pocket limits, so each one of those $212.50 payments is completely your uninsured responsibility.
As Phil recommended, it is always best to attempt to stay within an insurer’s contracted network.