Mental
Health Care in
Arizona
Mental health care is care for emotional or behavioral problems. The problem may be short-term, like depression after childbirth, or it can be long-term, like manic depression or autism.
Mental health care in Arizona can include:
- Diagnostic tests, to identify a mental health problem
- Clinical and hospital care
- Prescription drug benefits
- Counseling or therapy for individuals, families, and couples
- Group counseling or therapy
How to Get Care with your Arizona health insurance plan
You can ask for a referral from your primary care doctor, your mental health care provider, or your health plan. In some plans, you may be able to make an appointment directly with a mental health care provider.
Read your Evidence of Coverage (a booklet about your benefits) or call the phone number on your Membership Card to find out what you need to do to see a mental health provider. Some plans have a behavioral health care phone number on the membership card. You can call this number.
Questions and Answers
- How do I get care for a substance abuse problem?
- What if the medicine I need is not covered?
- Does the Mental Health Parity Law cover children?
- Will my plan cover residential treatment?
- What if I have Medicaid?
- What if I have Medicare?
How do I get care for
a substance abuse or
addiction problem?
Check your Evidence of
Coverage, or call your
health plan to see if
substance abuse problems
are covered. Substance
abuse is not one of the
conditions that must be
covered under the Mental
Health Parity law. If
substance abuse or
addiction problems are
covered, you can ask
your doctor to refer you
for treatment. You can
also call your health
plan and ask if you can
see a behavioral health
care provider without a
referral. Ask for a list
of providers.
What if the medicine
I need is not covered?
Ask if there is a
similar drug that is
covered that you can
try. See
prescription drugs.
If your doctor thinks
you need a drug that is
not covered, your doctor
must make a special
request to your plan. If
your plan still says you
cannot get the drug, you
can
file a complaint with
your plan.
Will my health plan
cover residential
treatment?
Ask your plan if
residential treatment is
covered. A residential
treatment center
provides long-term
treatment and 24-hour
supervision. It is
usually less restrictive
than a psychiatric
hospital.
Ask how long residential treatment lasts and what you will have to pay. Ask where residential treatment is provided. You will need prior approval from your health plan before you receive treatment. If your plan says the treatment is not medically necessary, you can file a complaint with your plan.
What if I have
Medicaid?
Medicaid provides mental
health care. If you are
in a Medicaid managed
care plan,
call your plan
What if I have
Medicare?
Call your health plan
and ask what mental
health care services it
covers. The Mental
Health Parity Law does
not apply to
Medicare
plans.
Resources
National Alliance for
the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
An advocacy group for
people with mental
illness and their
families
1-800-950-6264 (Spanish)
www.nami.org
(Spanish)
National Institute of
Mental Health
Information and research
on mental health
treatments
1-866-615-6464 (Spanish)
www.nimh.nih.gov
National Mental
Health Association
Information, advocacy
and referrals for adults
and children
1-800-969-6642 (Spanish)
1-800-433-5959 (TTY)
www.nmha.org
