Healthcare Woes and the Effect on Mental Health

I have been following some twitter feeds about healthcare and how to change the future of healthcare. Mental healthcare needs some changes in my opinion. Even with the mental health parity law in effect, fewer and fewer clients have decent coverage, if any at all.

Here is my experience: 1) medical coverage is available with no coverage for mental health, 2) mental health is subcontracted to another company with varying coverage and separate deductibles/co-pays, 3) mental health services are reimbursed at very low rates (45-50 minutes at $54.88 by Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Kentucky), 4) Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) offer only 4 sessions, 5) higher deductibles lead some clients to wait until they are really symptomatic to search for relief causing time off from work/school, 6) coverage for fewer sessions means counselors/therapists feel pressured to offer short-term solutions (symptom relief) when long term goals are more realistic for their clients, 7) many mental health professionals are opting out of insurance because of low reimbursement rates, thereby leaving clients in need, and 8) there is a search for medication to "mask" or "manage" symptoms when therapy or counseling--"talk therapy" would resolve the issue.

Would one rather heal from the pain or have a temporary fix through medicating the pain? This seems like an easy answer to this mental health professional. I go to the doctor when I have a ear infection or streph throat. I don't say, I'll just treat the symptoms and stay off work for two weeks until it resolves on it's own. I don't risk spreading the germs to my children, nor do I risk more detrimental effects because I want to heal.

Most, not all, people with a mental health problem can resolve them with therapy/counseling, education and lifestyle changes.There must be some middle ground here with a balance of making enough money to live on and taking care of those who need good mental healthcare to live better lives.


Solutions? There are many interesting solutions out there. Some seems more viable than others and others are for the wealthiest of clients. There must be more ideas available for providers and clients.