Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in May since 1949. According to Mental Health America, over 44 million American adults have a mental health condition. Learn how your health plan covers behavioral and mental health services. It’s important to know you can’t be denied coverage or charged more because you have a pre-existing condition, including mental and behavioral health conditions.

Know what’s covered

• Behavioral health treatment including psychotherapy and counseling
• Mental and behavioral health inpatient services
• Rehabilitative and habilitative services
• Prescription drugs
• Emergency services

Plans also cover free preventive services, including depression screenings for adults and behavioral assessments for children.

Browse plans and prices

Your specific behavioral health benefits will depend on the health plan you choose. You’ll see a full list of what each plan covers, including behavioral health benefits, when you compare plans at MarylandHealthConnection.gov.
Each plan provides a Plan Costs and Benefits guide and a Prescription Drug Search so you can review specific costs for services and medications.

Keep in mind

• You may need to get pre-approved by your insurance company before you receive services, including inpatient admission for mental illness and emotional health disorders.
• Your physician or psychologist can do this for you by completing the necessary paperwork and submitting it to your insurance company.
• For an emergency inpatient admission for treatment of a mental illness or emotional health disorder, your insurance company must make a decision on whether to pre-authorize the inpatient treatment within two hours of receiving the request.

Know your rights

• If a patient is a threat or danger to himself or others, the insurance company cannot deny the first 24 hours of an admission as long as the patient’s physician or psychologist determine it’s a medical emergency. Notify the insurance company as soon as possible.
• If you believe that the insurance company is not following the law, or it denies an emergency admission, call the Maryland Insurance Administration at 1-800-492-6116.

Get free help choosing the right plan

Maryland Health Connection has several trained experts statewide to help you for free. Visit MarylandHealthConnection.gov/help to search for an authorized health insurance broker who can provide free help choosing the best plan for your health needs.

About Maryland Health Connection

Maryland Health Connection is Maryland’s official health insurance marketplace for individuals and families to compare plans and enroll in health and dental coverage. It’s the only place to get financial help with health insurance. See if you qualify for financial help like tax credits or Medicaid/MCHP to make health insurance more affordable.