Occidental College Student Health Insurance for Therapy

Occidental College dedicates itself to taking care of its students, including their mental health and emotional well-being. They require all students to be enrolled in a comprehensive healthcare insurance plan, offering students the opportunity to enroll in an Aetna insurance specifically for Oxy students.

Does Occidental College Student Health Insurance cover therapy?

The Occidental College Student Health Insurance is an Aetna health insurance plan, which utilizes the large Aetna network of providers. This plan offers members therapy coverage, helping to reduce the out-of-pocket burden when it comes to mental health care.

The amount of coverage from the Occidental College Student Health Insurance plan differs based on whether you work with an in-network therapist or an out-of-network therapist. You’ll pay less out-of-pocket when you work with an in-network therapist.

How do I check if my Occidental College Student Health Insurance covers therapy?

To check if your Occidental College Student Health Insurance plan covers therapy services, head over to your Summary of Benefits document, which you can access on the JCB website. This document lists out insurance benefits by service type. When checking your coverage, look for the section titled “Mental Health & Substance Abuse Treatment.” Within this section, therapy will be under “Outpatient office visits (includes telemedicine consultations).”

If you cannot locate your Summary of Benefits document, give the phone number on the back of your insurance card a call. A member of the Aetna customer service team can share with you information about your coverage and answer your questions about benefits.

How much does therapy cost with Occidental College Student Health Insurance?

When working with an in-network therapist, you’ll pay a $25 copay each session you have with your therapist. Your Occidental College Student Health Insurance will cover the remainder of the session fee.

It’s more expensive to work with an out-of-network therapist on this plan. You’ll need to pay the same $25 copay but also a 40% coinsurance. This means that the more costly your therapist’s session fee, the more you’ll need to pay out-of-pocket.

The Emmons Wellness Center on campus also offers mental health services like therapy. They do this at no cost to you or your insurance, however these sessions are limited in number and intended for brief intervention, and are not a long term therapeutic relationship. Through the Emmons Wellness Center, you can also access TimelyCare, an online platform. Therapy sessions are free through this platform, making it a great resource.

What types of mental health conditions does Occidental College Student Health Insurance cover?

Occidental College Student Health Insurance provides coverage for a wide range of mental health conditions and life situations. To access this coverage, Occidental College Student Health Insurance requires its members to receive a diagnosis from their therapist. This diagnosis guides treatment and insurance coverage, and shows up on billing statements.

There are many mental health conditions often experienced by students. This includes but is not limited to:

This is not an exhaustive list and there are many more diagnosable — and covered — mental health conditions, all of which Occidental College Student Health Insurance covers.

What types of therapy does Occidental College Student Health Insurance cover?

Occidental College Student Health Insurance covers many different types of therapy. Benefits are available for services offered by credentialed mental health professionals like psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and more. As long as the therapist provides an evidence-based, clinically rigorous therapy approach that is appropriate for your therapy goals, Occidental College Student Health Insurance will provide coverage for therapy.

Here are a few commonly practiced therapy modalities:

Often, therapists will blend their approaches and use multiple modalities in their treatment. As long as the therapist meets all requirements, their services are eligible.

What types of therapy does Occidental College Student Health Insurance NOT cover?

Occidental College Student Health Insurance does not cover sessions solely providing life coaching or career counseling. This is especially true when therapy is not provided by a credentialed therapist. They also do not cover holistic treatment modalities like aromatherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, or reiki healing. Hypnosis, ketamine, and psychedelic treatments are also not covered, even if in treatment of a mental health condition or beneficial for one’s well-being.

Does Occidental College Student Health Insurance cover online therapy?

Yes, Occidental College Student Health Insurance offers coverage for online therapy. Occidental College enables students to access teletherapy services through the Emmons Wellness Center and especially through the TimelyCare platform. This makes therapy a convenient, simple component of a weekly routine.

If you meet with your therapist online rather than in-person, coverage for therapy costs — including copays and coinsurance rates — will remain the same.

Does Occidental College Student Health Insurance cover couples therapy?

No, the Occidental College Student Health Insurance plan does not offer coverage for couples therapy. However, you may be able to access short term couples therapy through the Emmons Wellness Center. They also offer group therapy sessions for students, which may be helpful in your relationships.

If you still want to work with a couples therapist but aren’t sure how to afford it, there may be ways to decrease the cost of couples counseling, such as sliding scale payments.

Do I need to see my primary doctor before starting therapy?

The Occidental College Student Health Insurance is a PPO plan, which means that you don’t need a referral to see a specialist like a therapist. Without needing to meet with your primary doctor to get a referral, you’re able to seek therapy with a credentialed therapist — and receive insurance coverage for therapy — as soon as you’re ready.