How To Find Relationship Therapy Covered By Insurance

If you are experiencing challenges in your marriage or intimate partnership, you may be considering marriage counseling. Studies show marriage counseling can be an effective way to address relationship issues. Over 70% of couples receiving therapy experience positive outcomes after treatment concludes. 

Most insurance companies have databases of in-network providers, including therapists, available on their websites. If you are already seeing a couples therapist and want to ensure their practice is covered by your insurance, it might be worthwhile to call your insurance company and speak to a representative about your options. 

What about Medicare?

Medicare has some limitations on what kinds of providers are covered for therapy and mental health care, so you may have fewer options in terms of therapist choices. The following types of providers are generally approved for coverage under Medicare:

• Licensed clinical social workers
• Clinical psychologist
• Clinical nurse specialists
• Physician assistants
• Nurse practitioners
• Psychiatrists and other people with medical degrees (doctors and physicians)

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If your health insurer does not cover the costs of couples therapy, you may need to go directly to some licensed counselors and ask about your options. They may offer need-based assistance to some couples.

Do your due diligence with your insurance and therapist

You may want to explore your options if you are in a situation where couples therapy may not be covered, but individual therapy might be. A therapist may be able to work with you or your partner on an individual basis to understand each one's role in the relationship and offer suggestions to improve the dynamic in your relationship.

Look into an employee assistance program

It may be worth looking into both your and your partner’s employee benefits to see if either of your employers offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). While employer-sponsored health care does not usually cover couples therapy outside of the context of treatment for diagnosed mental health conditions, an EAP may provide mental health care which could include couples therapy. 

Typically, an Employee Assistance Program involves an employer contracting with an external mental health services provider to grant their employees to avail of individual therapy, couples therapy, and other mental health care services. You do not usually need to have a diagnosed mental health condition to have this care, and since it is subsidized by your employer, you rarely have to pay out of pocket. There may be limits on the types of care provided or a cap on the total number of couples therapy sessions you can participate in over a certain time, though. 

EAPs are becoming increasingly more common, especially with larger employers. More employers are beginning to provide Employee Assistance Programs because they recognize the benefits of offering holistic wellness options to their employees.

Explore local mental health services for those with a mental health diagnosis

• City, county, and state mental health services offices
• Local nonprofits
• College and university counseling clinics, which may be recipients of grants from the National Institute of Mental Health to provide free therapy services to some clients
• Churches, which may offer premarital counseling or couples therapy for free, even to people who are not part of the religion or regular attendees of the church (note: This form of marriage therapy may be provided by a pastor or priest who may not be a licensed mental health professional.)
• Your family doctor, who may have connections to lower-cost mental health care providers or those that provide services on a sliding scale based on their income level

You may want to consider online therapy

If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.