Cynthia de las Fuentes, PhD President at American Psychological Association | Official website
The American Psychological Association (APA) has expressed concern over the lack of network access for mental health patients, as highlighted in a new report. APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, emphasized the need for insurance reform to ensure equitable access to care for those in need.
In response to the report titled "Behavioral Health Parity—Pervasive Disparities in Access to In-Network Care Continue," Evans stated, “The findings of this report, while not surprising, are gravely disappointing. The fact that so many patients are forced to go out of network to receive mental health and substance use care is unacceptable.” The report revealed that patients seeking psychological care were significantly more likely to go out of network compared to those seeking specialty medical care.
The report identified lower reimbursement for mental health providers as a major factor contributing to the inadequacy of mental health networks, leading to patients facing financial burdens when seeking out-of-network care. Evans pointed out that this situation could worsen the existing mental health crisis, as some patients may forgo care due to the costs involved.
Furthermore, the report emphasized the importance of insurance plans improving access to mental health providers to meet patient needs. APA called for the full enforcement of the federal parity law to address the shortcomings in existing behavioral health networks.
Conducted by health economists at RTI International and commissioned by the Mental Health Treatment and Research Institute, the report shed light on the challenges faced by mental health patients in accessing in-network care. APA contributed to the study's cost but had no role in its findings or recommendations.
