Are there Medicare Mental Health Benefits?

For those of you with Medicare Part A with Original Medicare you will be happy to know that there are Medicare mental health benefits available to you or your loved one.  This coverage can be used if you or your loved one is required to be admitted to a general hospital or a psychiatric hospital for any reason.  There are some stipulations, as there is with any part of Medicare, that you may need to know about if you ever have to use this Medicare coverage.

If you’re in a psychiatric hospital (instead of a general hospital), Medicare Part A only pays for up to 190 days of inpatient psychiatric hospital services during your lifetime.  This may make Medicare mental health benefits look as if they are trying to get out of paying for your services and in many ways it is.  There is only so much that can be paid for by government issued insurance, if you think you or your loved one will need more coverage than this then you need to look into supplemental insurance.

Medicare mental health benefits give the opportunity to get the care and time necessary to try to get treatment for the condition, but it will not be free.  You will still be subject to your deductible during this time and your when your benefit period ends you will be subject to your deductible again.  There are some great things about Medicare mental health benefits, but if you foresee a long stay in a mental health facility then you need to look into Medicare supplement insurance.

Entry Filed under: Benefits Explained