What Types of Mental Health Services Does Medicare Cover?

October 6, 2025

Key Takeaways

Original Medicare, parts A and B, provides coverage for mental health services, including inpatient care, outpatient treatment, and partial hospitalization programs.
The costs associated with inpatient mental health treatment under Medicare Part A include potential premiums, deductibles per benefit period, and coinsurance fees that vary depending on the length of stay.
Medicare Part B covers outpatient mental health services, such as counseling, psychiatry appointments, and annual depression screenings, but it requires beneficiaries to pay premiums, a deductible, and coinsurance.

Original Medicare (parts A and B) covers mental health care, including inpatient treatment, outpatient services, and partial hospitalization.

Medicare Advantage (Part C), Part D prescription drug plans, and Medicare supplemental insurance (Medigap) plans may provide additional coverage.

What parts of Medicare cover mental health services?

The type of mental health care you receive will determine which part of Medicare covers it.

Medicare Part A and mental health care

Part A covers mental health services when you’re admitted to a hospital. This type of care may be especially important for people experiencing a mental health emergency.

With Part A, you’re covered for the cost of the room, as well as:

standard nursing care
inpatient therapy
lab testing and some medications

Medicare Part B and mental health care

Part B covers mental health services you receive as an outpatient, including intensive outpatient treatment programs and yearly depression screenings. This type of treatment is important for anyone requiring ongoing mental health support.

Part B covers eligible costs relating to:

general and specialized counseling appointments
psychiatry appointments
clinical social worker appointments
diagnostic lab testing
specific medications
intensive outpatient care, also known as partial hospitalization, including treatment for substance use disorder

Part B also covers one annual depression screening, with additional coverage for follow-up appointments or referrals to other mental health specialists.

Other parts of Medicare and mental health care

Although parts A and B cover many of your mental health needs, you may find additional coverage is available by enrolling in the following Medicare plans:

Medicare Advantage (Part C): These plans include all the benefits of Part A and Part B while also generally including prescription drug coverage and additional benefits.
Part D prescription drug plans: These plans can help cover some mental health medications, including antidepressants, antianxiety medications, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and other medically essential medications.
Medigap: Also called Medicare supplement insurance, Medigap plans work alongside Original Medicare only and can help cover some of the costs associated with inpatient or outpatient care, such as coinsurance and deductibles.

If you’re looking for mental health treatment, you can visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website to find behavioral health treatment services near you.

How much does inpatient mental health treatment cost with Medicare?

You must have Medicare Part A to be covered for inpatient mental health treatment at a general or psychiatric hospital.

Medicare will pay for most of your inpatient treatment services. However, you may still owe some out-of-pocket costs depending on your plan and the length of your stay.

Here are the basic costs for Part A in 2025:

$285 to $518 premium if you have one
$1,676 deductible for each benefit period
20% of some Medicare-approved costs during the stay
$419 coinsurance per day for days 61 through 90 of an inpatient admission
$838 coinsurance per day for days 91 through 150 of an inpatient admission while using 60 lifetime reserve days
100% of the admission costs for days 151+

It’s important to note that while there’s no limit to how much inpatient care you can receive in a general hospital, Part A will only cover up to 190 days of inpatient care in a psychiatric hospital.

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Medicare Costs Defined

How much does outpatient mental health treatment cost with Medicare?

You must have Part B to be covered for outpatient mental health treatment, partial hospitalization, and annual depression screenings.

Medicare will cover most of your outpatient treatment services, but there are certain financial requirements you must meet before Medicare can pay.

Here are the basic costs for Part B in 2025:

$185 premium at minimum, based on income
$257 deductible
20% of all Medicare-approved costs during your treatment

There’s no limit to the frequency or number of sessions that Medicare will cover for outpatient mental health counseling.

However, because there are out-of-pocket costs associated with these services, reviewing your financial situation can be helpful to determine how often you can seek treatment.

If you’re looking to begin counseling or therapy appointments under your Medicare plan, here is a list of Medicare-approved mental health care professionals:

psychiatrist
primary care doctor
clinical psychologist, social worker, or nurse specialist
nurse practitioner
physician assistant
marriage and family therapist
mental health counselor

There are many types of mental health specialists you can visit for help. If you’re unsure who to see, talk with a general practitioner or primary care professional about which specialist may be best for you.

The bottom line

If you have Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage, you’re typically covered for both inpatient and outpatient mental health services.

This includes hospital stays, therapy appointments, intensive outpatient care, yearly depression screenings, and more.

Some out-of-pocket costs are associated with these services, so it’s important to choose the best Medicare plan for your needs.

The information on this website may assist you in making personal decisions about insurance, but it is not intended to provide advice regarding the purchase or use of any insurance or insurance products. Healthline Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthline Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance.

Last medically reviewed on September 29, 2025

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Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Sep 29, 2025

Written By

Eleesha Lockett, MS

Edited By

Faye Stewart

Medically Reviewed By

Isabelle Phan, PharmD

Copy Edited By

Delores Smith-Johnson

Mar 24, 2025