NAMI Releases Parity Report Which Finds Insurance Companies Still Discriminate Against Mental Health Care
A report released today by NAMI reveals new information about the ongoing barriers people with mental illness experience when trying to find affordable, quality mental health care.
The Doctor is Out: Continuing Disparities Between Mental and Physical Health Providers in
The Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equality Act, the federal law signed by
"This report once again confirms a painful reality for millions of adults and children living with mental health conditions: that despite passage of a federal health parity law, discrimination is still rampant," said
The report is based on a nationwide online survey, conducted in 2016, of 3,177 individuals with mental health conditions and mental health caregivers. Survey respondents had coverage from either private health insurance or public health coverage such as Medicaid or Medicare.
Key findings of the report include:
* Searching for a provider: Nearly 35 percent of respondents with private insurances reported difficulties finding any mental health therapist who would accept their insurance.
* Out-of-network care: 28 percent of respondents who received psychotherapy used an out-of-network provider. In contrast, only 7 percent of respondents used an out-of-network medical specialist and only 3 percent used an out-of-network primary care provider.
* Out-of-pocket costs: Out-of-pocket costs exceeding
The report also includes policy recommendations developed by NAMI to address the issue, including:
* Conduct federal and state-level parity compliance market audits of health plans.
* Improve network adequacy for mental health care through the following:
* Increase reimbursement rates and other incentives for mental health professionals;
* Increase reimbursement and reduce barriers for tele-mental health services;
* Expand reimbursement for models that integrate health, mental health and substance use disorder care; and
* Recruit and contract with a wider range of providers; and
* Promote use of advance practice nurses and other health care professionals with appropriate training to prescribe mental health medications.
The NAMI report was released simultaneously with a report published by
To learn more and read NAMI's report, visit www.nami.org/parityreport. To read the Milliman report, visit www.milliman.com
The document was originally issued on
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