If you have Canada Life benefits through work, you may be asking, "Does Canada Life cover psychotherapy?" It's a smart thing to ask before you book. The honest answer is that it depends on your plan, the type of practitioner and the service. This guide explains what to look for and how to check your own plan, so you're not guessing.
We're a counselling clinic, not Canada Life, and we can't see your plan or promise what it pays. This article is general information only.
The short answer, and why it depends on your plan
Canada Life doesn't have one set of benefits for everyone. Employers and plan sponsors choose what's included, how much is reimbursed and what the limits are. That's why a coworker at another company can have a very different answer from yours.
Three things usually decide whether a session is covered:
The type of practitioner you see
The service itself, such as individual therapy, couples counselling or an assessment
The wording of your own plan, including limits and the plan year
CAMH notes that some extended health plans only cover services up to a certain amount, and only for certain types of therapists, for example psychologists but not social workers. So it's best to check before the first session, not after.
Where to see your Canada Life coverage and balance
Your best source is your own plan. Canada Life's plan booklets describe a member website called My Canada Life at Work, where members can review their coverage and balances and submit claims. Your benefits card, booklet or employer's benefits contact will tell you how to sign in, since wording and set-up can change. You can also reach Canada Life through its main website.
Before you look, have these ready:
Your plan or group number and your member ID
The practitioner type you're thinking of seeing
The name of the service, such as therapy, couples therapy or an assessment
Then look for the line that covers mental health or "paramedical" services. Some plans list psychologists, social workers and psychotherapists together, and others list them on separate lines.
Which practitioner types plans may list
Plan documents Canada Life has published online show how much plans can differ. One Canada Life employee benefit plan booklet lists treatment by a registered psychologist, a qualified social worker, a psychotherapist governed by a regulatory body or a registered clinical counsellor, where they are provincially regulated. A different flex benefits enrolment guide names a long list of mental health providers, including registered psychotherapists.
Those are examples from specific employer groups, not rules for every Canada Life member. Your plan may name different titles. The only way to know for sure is to read your own plan or ask Canada Life.
Who provides what in Ontario
Titles matter. The Ontario government's page on regulated health professions explains that psychologists can communicate a diagnosis and treat clients with psychotherapy, while registered psychotherapists assess and treat through therapy.
At our clinic, psychologists assess and diagnose, Nurse Practitioners can assess, diagnose and prescribe, and Registered Psychotherapists (RPs) and Registered Social Workers (RSWs) provide therapy. Our page on RPs and RSWs explains the difference in plain terms.
A word like "counsellor" is used in many ways, so don't assume a title is covered or isn't. Ask Canada Life how your plan words it, and ask any clinic exactly which regulated title your therapist holds.
What "psychotherapy" and "counselling" can mean on a benefits line
In everyday talk, people use "psychotherapy," "counselling" and "therapy" to mean much the same thing: talking with a trained person to work through a problem. On a benefits form, the words can be more exact. A plan might cover "psychotherapy" by a regulated provider but say nothing about "counselling" by a person with a different title.
That's why the practitioner's title often matters more than the label on the service. If the plan names the title your therapist holds, that's a good sign. If it doesn't, ask Canada Life before you book. You can also ask us which title your therapist holds, so you can pass the exact wording along.
What your plan might say about limits
Many plans set a yearly maximum, and some put several practitioner types under one shared limit. In plain words, that's one pot of money for the year. A session with any of those practitioners draws from the same pot.
Here is what that can mean in everyday life:
If you've already used part of the limit on one practitioner type, less is left for another.
Limits often reset on a set date, such as the start of the calendar year or your plan year.
Some plans pay a percentage of each session, and some set a limit per visit.
Some plans say they only pay up to a "customary charge," which can leave a gap between what you pay and what the plan recognizes.
We aren't quoting any amounts, because they vary by plan and change over time. Your booklet or online account has the real numbers. If your limit runs out, our free consultation is a good time to talk about options, including student therapist sessions at $0 to $80 and Health Spending Accounts, which we accept.
Claiming and direct billing
There are two common ways to use your benefits. With pay-and-claim, you pay the clinic and send your receipt to Canada Life for reimbursement. With direct billing, the clinic bills the insurer, and you pay only the part your plan doesn't cover.
We can direct bill many plans, and we'll confirm what's possible for yours before your first session. Depending on your plan, your insurance may cover the full session fee. We can't promise direct billing for every plan or every member. Our page on direct billing explains how it works.
If you pay and claim, keep your receipt and ask the clinic what details it shows, since insurers often want specific information on a claim. Canada Life's plan booklets also mention keeping receipts and submitting claims within a set time, so it's wise to file soon after your session rather than waiting.
Questions to ask before you book
Whether you call Canada Life or check your account, these questions help:
Which practitioner types are covered, and do they include psychologists, RPs and RSWs?
Is there a shared maximum, and how much of it have I used?
Is there a per-visit limit or a percentage reimbursed?
Is the exact service I want covered, whether therapy, couples therapy or an assessment?
Does the plan mention "customary charges," and what does that mean for my session fee?
Is there a deadline for submitting a claim?
Can I use direct billing, or do I pay and claim?
NIMH also suggests asking any therapist about fees and what insurance they accept. Its guide to psychotherapies is a helpful read. Write down the answers and the date you asked. If something is unclear, it's fine to ask again or to ask for it in writing. Plans can be confusing, and you're not expected to be an expert in how yours is worded.
If your plan doesn't cover it
Sometimes the answer is no, or the limit runs out. That doesn't have to end the conversation. You could space your sessions out, use a Health Spending Account, or choose a student therapist to lower the cost. Each of these is worth a look if cost is the barrier. We'd rather talk it through with you than have you skip support.
What therapy costs at our clinic
Knowing our fees helps you work out what your plan covers and what you'd pay yourself. Individual sessions are $130 to $200, and couples or family sessions are $170 to $200. Student therapists offer sessions for $0 to $80. There's a $50 one-time new client setup fee, which isn't charged for the free consultation. Psychologist fees depend on the service, and we go over them with you in the free consultation.
Next step, a free consultation
You don't have to sort this out alone. Book a free 15-minute consultation to ask about our team, our fees and how billing works. Our team can help you check your card before your first session. We see clients in person in Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge and Ottawa, and online across Ontario. Our guide to counselling and insurance in Ontario has more background.