MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS
Mental health insurance still falls short despite soaring needs, economic impacts
4 December, 2023 | NEWS
Mia Atoui, a clinical psychologist and president of Embrace, explained that private psychotherapy can cost $40 to $120 per session in Lebanon. Moreover, the cost of medication ranges between LL1 million to 2 million (that is, between $11 to $22 at the LL90,000 market rate). With 50 percent of the population now living in poverty, many people cannot afford to continue seeking treatment without insurance coverage or subsidies.
“Some employed people are still getting paid in Lebanese lira; some have reported that a cost [of] LL 300,000 [for a primary health care center consultation] is still too high for them, so financial means constitute a barrier,” said Atoui. She also cited transportation barriers, lack of awareness and social stigma.
