Introduction: The burden of psychological disorders and its financial burden has increased in the world and in Iran. Usually, these patients need financial support to improve their mental health. Sometimes basic insurance organizations hesitate to include psychological counseling services in the insurance package. The assistance of the Welfare Organization and the Ministry of Health is not enough.
Methods: It is a descriptive study with financial calculations. Using the data of the Iranian Statistics Center, demographic information until 2031 and using the data of the mental health survey reports of the Ministry of Health in 2011 and 2021, the annual growth for the 90s was calculated. Then, with the discount formula, the growth of prevalence of disorders, different severity of disorders, the number of referrals to different centers, the number of referrals was estimated up to 2031. Assuming an annual tariff growth rate of 20%; The insurer's share is 30%, 50%, and 70%; 50% and 10% annual growth in the number of clients after providing insurance coverage, the estimate was completed
Results: The financial burden of insurance organizations for psychological counseling was estimated from 708.2 million tomans (insurance share 30% in 2024, fixed rate of clients) to 23,534 million tomans (insurance share 70%, annual growth of 10% clients in 2031).
Conclusion: Psychological counseling is both necessary and cost-effective to be covered by insurance organizations. By developing a right service package, psychological counseling can be covered according to the severity of the disorder, the location of the service provision, and the different shahres of the insurance organizations. It would be wise that some disorders, considered important, be covered by basic insurance organizations, for other cases supplementary insurance along with other supportive and welfare services such as subsidies would be rational.
