Helping Your Clients Get Mental Health Care
Mental health treatment makes recovery possible for most people experiencing mental illness. Starting treatment can be confusing, but more and more members are interested in exploring their options.
To help you explain how mental health care works, we’ll review things you should know to help your clients access the care they need.
Understand their coverage
All LifeWise plans include coverage for mental health care. Your clients and their unique mental health conditions require different types of providers and levels of care. Remind your clients it’s important to refer to their benefit booklet first to determine which services are covered.
Talk to a PCP
Recommend your clients start their care journey by having a conversation about mental health with their primary care provider (PCP). A PCP may be able to help your clients identify the signs or the symptoms of mental illness and guide them to care that is right for them.
Three ways to find mental health care
- Find a doctor: The easiest way to search for in-network mental and behavioral health providers is to use our Find Care Your clients can browse by provider name, specialty, or select the “Mental & Behavioral Health” care category. Because therapy services are in high demand, suggest they use the option to view only providers accepting new patients.
- Therapists in network: Your clients can check if a therapist is in their plan’s network by signing in and using Find Care to search by provider name. Kinwell behavioral health is also always in-network and available just for LifeWise members.
- Virtual care: Some of your clients may feel there is still a stigma attached to needing help for their mental health. Remind them that their LifeWise plan allows them to receive virtual treatment for anxiety, depression, addiction, or other mental health conditions from the privacy of home.
Doctor On Demand: Video chat with a doctor for medical care or mental health therapy.
Boulder Care: Video-based opioid use and alcohol use disorder treatment for adults (age 18+).
Right to privacy for minors
In many states, including Washington, minors age 13 to 18 may receive care for mental health or substance abuse without consent from parents or guardians. LifeWise is mandated to respect these rights to privacy as defined by law.
An explanation of benefits for members age 13 or older will be mailed in the name of the member who received the care. This means your clients might not be able to see all claims unless the member grants permission to your client.
Mental health resources
Recommend your clients visit our mental health web page for more information and resources. They’ll find contact information for crisis lifelines and immediate help, explanations of provider types, warning signs of mental illness, and much more.