Counselling

“Am I Covered?”: Saskatoon Counselling & Insurance Coverage

Jul 21, 2025

Seeking mental health support is an important step, but being worried about how you are going to manage the costs is a barrier many clients encounter. For this reason, here at Wasson Counselling & Consulting (WCC) we want to offer a little clarity on how you can access support and how to check out what resources might be hiding in plain sight.

If you are wondering whether your insurance covers counselling in Saskatoon, you're not alone. Let's break down the key factors to consider and how to make the most of your benefits.


Why Counselling is an Essential Part of Your Healthcare Plan

First, if you’re going to do the work on figuring out what is covered, you should sure be clear on why you’re doing that leg work to begin with.

Counselling can be a crucial part of your overall healthcare plan - this is why many employers provide robust counselling extended health benefits. Whether it is to support your mental and emotional health, improve your stress levels, prevent crisis situations before they occur, strengthen your relationships or enhance your life satisfaction - counselling is an effective way of meaningfully engaging in your own well-being.

That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t come with a significant investment. At WCC we want to make that investment as painless as possible, so we’ve cobbled together some information to help you reduce the financial barrier.


Does Insurance Cover Counselling in Saskatoon?

Many insurance providers offer coverage for mental health services, including counselling. However, the specifics of coverage can vary based on your plan. Here are some key questions to explore:

Is counselling included in my policy?

Check if your insurance plan covers therapy or counselling sessions. While less common to experience this barrier now, some policies may require a diagnosis or specific treatment type to qualify.

Do I need a referral?

Certain plans may require a doctor's referral before covering counselling costs. If this is the case, don’t hesitate to connect with your doctor and let them know that this is a requirement in order to access your benefits. Most doctors are familiar with these processes and are happy to provide this letter. From there, you usually need to keep the referral information available to provide to your insurance company if they request it and you’re free to schedule an appointment with a covered provider.

Are there preferred providers?

Some insurance companies only cover services from registered psychologists, social workers, or specific clinics. It’s good to know who is covered before you build a relationship with a counsellor or before you’ve had a session only to discover you won’t be reimbursed. Here at WCC we are all registered social workers and are therefore covered by most insurance providers.

What are the reimbursement details?

Find out whether your plan covers the full session cost, or a percentage, and understand any deductibles or co-payments. For some plans, they have a limit on what they will cover per session, or there may be a deductible or co-payment that requires you to pay out of pocket. Make sure you check these details along with annual coverage. Interestingly, in the past five years many workplaces have dramatically increased their coverage - you may be surprised to learn that you have more coverage than you previously thought.


How to Check Your Coverage

Review your policy by visiting your insurance provider’s website or check your policy documents for details on mental health coverage.

Here are direct links to a few more well-known insurance providers:

Don’t see yours here? That’s ok! You can also contact your insurance provider directly. If you call or email your insurance company they are often glad to provide you the information you need about counselling benefits, reimbursement options, and any conditions.

If calling your provider feels too daunting, here at WCC we are familiar with insurance processes and can provide guidance on where to find your coverage options. If you aren’t sure we can likely assist you with finding this information during an initial 15 minute consult - don’t hesitate to ask at: contact@wcounselling.com


NIHB - Non-Insured Health Benefits for First Nations and Inuit People.

To be eligible for Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) a person must be First Nations and registered with a band - commonly known as having ‘status’ or treaty rights. In the case of Inuk peoples’ you must be connected to an Inuit land claim organization.

Here at WCC we are connected with Express Scripts and are happy to work with you to have your counselling covered and billed directly. This may mean we need some additional information from you to complete your profile, but we’re happy to work together to reduce barriers to accessing counselling. For new clients we ask that you contact us and provide us with your full name, registration/treaty number, and your date of birth. This way we can get started with registration to make accessing support as easy as possible.

It’s important you know that for NIHB covered couples counselling we can only bill 50% of the session to each partner. This means that if your partner is non-status or not a part of land claim, then that portion of the session will need to be paid for out-of-pocket.

There are some limitations to what NIHB will pay for annually - so to learn more about NIHB have a look at: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1576441552462/1576441618847 or ask your counsellor directly.


Direct Billing Versus Reimbursement

As mentioned above, most of our clients will access their extended health benefits in order to offset the costs of counselling. However, we know that for some people, even the up front cost of counselling can be a barrier. While we are not connected to any EFAP programs, we want you to know that this can be another way to access support where the counsellors may direct bill and where you may not have to wait for reimbursement.

Some employers offer Employee Family assistance Plan (EFAP) programs alongside their extended health benefits. These are benefit programs where a limited number of sessions are offered from a network of counsellors established by the organization or their insurance company. If paying out of pocket creates a barrier, accessing EFAP may be a helpful option.

Keep in mind that some EFAP providers include an exclusion clause where counsellors cannot see you beyond the initial sessions paid for by the EFAP program. This is good to ask about at the outset of counselling so that if your concern cannot be managed in the number of sessions allotted by your EFAP, you won’t be limited in continuing with counsellor with whom you’ve already developed a relationship.


What if I don’t have Coverage?

If you’re without coverage and seeking support there are a few avenues that you can try. Some practices, like Family Services Saskatoon offer a sliding fee scale or there are services that don’t cost anything at all where you can get good counselling support. If you’re in the Saskatoon area and want more information or to access free counselling support you can call centralized Intake Here with the Saskatchewan Health Authority at 306-655-7777 or visit https://mhas.saskatoonhealthregion.ca


Final Thoughts

Investing in mental health is invaluable, and insurance coverage can make counselling more accessible. By understanding your benefits and exploring options, you can take full advantage of your insurance plan while prioritizing your well-being. While navigating insurance may seem complicated at first, if you’re willing to do a little research or ask for a little help, you can access the support you need without added financial pressures.

Wishing you the very best on your journey towards greater health and wellbeing.

Warmly, Erin

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