Your body and mind are
equally important and now
equally covered.

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If you have health insurance in Georgia, you have coverage for your mental health and substance use treatment.


Shape of Georgia
WHAT changed?
  • In 2022, Georgia passed a law requiring public and private health insurance plans to cover mental health and substance use services at the same level as physical health.​
Shape of Georgia
WHY did it change?
  • Access to services is improved when health insurance pays for mental health and substance use services.​ ​
Shape of Georgia
HOW does this affect you & your family?
  • Despite these efforts to improve mental health and substance use services access, consumers still experience high levels of unfair denials. Learn more about what you can do if you think your insurance company has unfairly denied your coverage.

Mental Health Insurance Help in Georgia

Understanding Your Rights and Navigating Insurance Denials

Mental health and substance use treatment should not be harder to access than other medical care.
If your insurance company denied therapy, psychiatric care, residential treatment, medication, or another behavioral health service, you are not alone—and you may have options.

This website helps Georgia consumers, families, caregivers, providers, and advocates understand:
  1. Mental health insurance rights
  2. The appeals process
  3. Mental health coverage protections
  4. How to respond to insurance denials
  5. Where to go for help
Whether you have private insurance, Marketplace coverage, Medicaid, or employer-sponsored insurance, this resource is designed to help you take the next step.

What is Mental Health Parity?

Mental health parity generally means that insurance plans cannot treat mental health and substance use disorder benefits more restrictively than medical or surgical benefits.
Parity protections may apply to:
  1. Mental health insurance rights
  2. Copays and deductibles
  3. Prior authorization requirements
  4. Medical necessity standards
  5. Provider networks
  6. Reimbursement practices
  7. Utilization review
  8. Treatment limitations
Not every denial is automatically a parity violation. However, some insurance practices may raise parity concerns.

Have your rights been violated?

  • Higher payments: Your payments for mental health services are higher than for your primary care doctor.

  • Limitations: You are limited in how many times you can see a mental health care provider, but have no such limits for physical health care.

  • Higher costs for medicine: You pay more for prescription medications to treat mental health than for physical health.

  • Needing permission: Your insurance company requires permission to continue mental health treatments, but not physical health treatments.

  • Forced to take less expensive treatment: Your insurance company requires that you try a less expensive treatment option before covering the treatment your mental health provider recommended.

  • Separate deductible: Your insurance plan has a separate deductible for mental health services.

    • Learn More and Take Action


    A Note for Individuals and Families

    Appealing an insurance denial can feel overwhelming—especially when you or a loved one is already struggling.

    Many consumers experience denials of mental health or substance use treatment. A denial does not necessarily mean the care is inappropriate or that you do not have options.

    You do not have to navigate the process perfectly to take the next step.

    Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

    Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org

    Disclaimer

    This website provides general educational information and is not legal advice.

    Mental health parity laws and insurance requirements can vary depending on your type of insurance coverage and individual circumstances.

    If you need legal advice, consider speaking with an attorney or consumer assistance organization.