Until as little as five years ago, it was nearly impossible to access exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy for OCD using insurance. Today, over 9 in 10 Americans with commercial insurance can use their benefits to pay for specialized treatment.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) impacts an estimated 1 in 40 people around the world, or about 2.5% of people globally. And contrary to popular misconceptions, it’s considered a severe mental illness, once listed among the top 10 most disabling conditions by the World Health Organization.
Despite its severity, OCD is highly treatable with exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, a specialized form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Unlike other forms of CBT that are ineffective for OCD, ERP was created specifically for people with OCD, and it works for up to 80% of people with the condition.
The effectiveness of ERP has been known for decades, but as little as five years ago, evidence-based OCD treatment was almost impossible for people to access with their insurance, leaving recovery out of reach for millions.
Today, over 9 in 10 Americans with commercial insurance can use their benefits to access ERP therapy with a therapist who has specialized training in OCD. Here’s why that matters, and how to find out if your plan covers OCD treatment.
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All our therapists are licensed and trained in exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the gold standard treatment for OCD.
How to find out if your insurance covers ERP therapy
If you’ve tried to find healthcare that’s covered by your insurance, you probably know that it can get complicated. Specific mental or behavioral health benefits vary widely from plan to plan, and it may be difficult to learn exactly what types of treatment are covered. In some cases, your mental and behavioral health benefits might be provided by an entirely different company.
One thing that’s helpful to know is that ERP therapy generally falls under the umbrella of “outpatient individual therapy.” If you don’t know exactly where you want to go for OCD treatment yet, your best bet may be to call your insurance provider directly and ask if outpatient individual therapy is covered under your plan.
After they’ve clarified your benefit information, you can determine if any of the providers who accept your insurance specialize in ERP for OCD. If you already have a provider you’d prefer to see, and they’re not on the list, you may be able to inquire about a “single case agreement” and make the case that the provider offers expertise that is not offered by your insurance’s in-network providers.
What to look for in an OCD therapist
Because OCD requires a highly specialized form of treatment, many therapists aren’t able to diagnose it accurately or treat it effectively. In fact, many professionals may claim to specialize in OCD, when they actually lack the specialized training they need to administer ERP.
If you’re seeking help for OCD, there are a few essential things to keep an eye out for. First: does the therapist have training in OCD and ERP therapy? If not, it’s best to look elsewhere—other forms of therapy are unlikely to be effective for OCD, and some may even make your symptoms worse.
Next, make sure they understand key aspects of OCD: do they only mention the most commonly understood subtypes like contamination OCD or perfectionism OCD? Do they suggest that you can learn to stop intrusive thoughts entirely or fully “cure” OCD? Are they unwilling to refer clients for medication management? On the other hand, do they insist that medication is always necessary for treating OCD?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you may want to look elsewhere. Finding a therapist with truly specialized training and experience in OCD treatment will give you the best chance at learning to manage OCD long-term.
It’s also worth noting that insurance coverage isn’t the only way that access to specialized OCD treatment has increased in recent years. Previously, it was nearly impossible to find specialists with training in ERP outside of major urban centers—there simply weren’t enough of them in most areas. But today, anyone with internet access can work with a trained ERP therapist, and research shows that ERP delivered virtually is just as effective as in-person therapy, if not more so.
Why is it important for insurance to cover ERP therapy?
The costs associated with paying for mental healthcare remain a significant barrier for most people—and even more so for the specialized care that OCD requires. Before the rapid expansion of insurance coverage for ERP therapy in recent years, most people had to pay around $300 per session, all out of pocket.
Of course, paying for ERP allows many people to access treatment that would otherwise be financially out of reach. But this can also have an impact on their ability to fully commit to treatment, knowing that they’ll be able to afford therapy for as long as they need to get better.
“I felt exceptionally unburdened by the weight of wondering when and how I was going to get help,” explains Mike, a former NOCD Therapy Member who was able to access treatment using his insurance. For many people, significant results start to show up within 9-12 sessions of ERP—but for others, insurance coverage can allow them to stay in treatment until they learn to manage their symptoms, even if it takes a bit more time.
Bottom line
OCD can be completely debilitating, but it’s very treatable with ERP therapy. And while access to mental healthcare is still growing, over 90% of Americans with commercial insurance can access specialized treatment. Not only does this bring life-changing treatment within reach for millions, but it also assures people that they can afford to remain in treatment until they see real results.
Key takeaways:
- Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy is the most effective form of therapy for OCD.
- Today, over 9 in 10 Americans with commercial insurance can use it to pay for ERP therapy.
- If you’re looking for help with OCD, it’s important to find a therapist with specialized training and experience in OCD and ERP.
- Using insurance to pay for OCD treatment lowers financial barriers and allows people to remain in treatment for as long as they need to see significant results.