Mental Health Therapy — It’s Covered

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and with 1 in 5 Americans struggling with a mental illness, and the number continuing to grow in the wake of a global pandemic, this month is a great time to take inventory of your own mental health coverage. And for employers, it’s an opportunity to consider if it may be time to level up benefits offered in this category. 

Spoiler alert for Gravie Comfort™ members: mental health office or clinic visits are fully covered. 

While 20% of the population struggles with mental illness, the reality is that we all have mental health to manage — thoughts, feelings, emotions and moods that affect us differently at different times. When you break your arm, you go to the doctor to get it fixed. In the same way, when you’re depressed, stressed or anxious, it’s important to talk with a mental health professional. 

For far too long, mental health has been viewed as an “extra” when it comes to health benefits. Inadequate provider networks, unreasonable criteria to qualify for coverage, and cost barriers still leave many in need of mental health care on traditional plans. The pandemic and its vast implications have led to traumatic experiences for many, negatively affecting people’s wellbeing and creating new barriers for those already suffering from mental illness. A recent Willis Towers Watson survey indicates that the pandemic and the shift to remote work have contributed to a worsening of mental health among employees and their families. 

87% of workers wish their employers would care for their mental health, according to Forrester research. And while “caring” can encompass a wide variety of programs and resources, it can also be as simple as ensuring that your employees have straightforward access to therapy if they need it. 

At Gravie, we know just how important mental health coverage is for benefits to be truly valuable for the people who use them. That’s why Comfort members have no-cost access to in-network office visits for mental health, just as they do for any specialist under their Comfort plan. 

• Feeling stressed and just need to vent to a professional? It’s covered. 
• Dealing with the loss of a loved one and need to process your grief? It’s covered. 
• Struggling with clinical depression and need regular mental health visits to cope? It’s covered. 

Accessing mental health services can often feel confusing or too expensive, but Gravie offers a refreshingly simple experience with health benefits members can actually use.

This Mental Health Awareness Month is an important time to consider how we might take steps to pursue better mental health as individuals, and – just as important – a time for those designing and offering health benefits plans to ensure mental health is well-covered. 

Comfort members can easily find an in-network therapist by chatting with a Gravie Care™ advisor, or by logging into their account at member.gravie.com and clicking on the Doctors link from their health plan. 

To learn more about how Gravie makes it easier to access mental health care benefits for your business or client, contact us.