Leiya’s Post

This ‘final rule’ released this week adds more needed teeth to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), and is a big deal because it forces health insurers to cover mental health care on equal footing with physical health care, something that should’ve happened after the 2008 law. In practice, people have faced tons of hurdles, like fighting appeals - for the right level of care for the right amount of time, needing extra approvals, and paying out-of-network costs for mental health services. I have seen it firsthand with thousands of families over the past decade. It is hardly ever smooth. This rule cracks down on those unfair barriers, making sure insurers can't make it harder or more expensive to access therapy compared to physical care. The rule also pushes insurers to fix gaps in their networks (very few networks offer the full continuum of care needed to intervene effectively at the right level of care, at the right time) and payment practices. 👏 But there is still more to do; like improving the speed and ease of getting contracted, improving the detail, speed of updating, and accuracy of online network directories, and increasing rates to encourage more high quality providers and care. #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthParity Fact Sheet: https://lnkd.in/gihJBqEw

This is a step in the right direction. We have seen many policies which carry exorbitant MH deductibles/copays, while physical health is covered. As Alex Stavros mentioned, we still have a lot of work to do. We need to have more incentives for high quality care, outcomes measurements, and better payment practices. The current payment system in behavioral health still incentivizes low cost, ineffective treatment providers because of reimbursement policies. One step at a time.

Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) Final Rule Announced by Fed. FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Lowers Mental Health Care Costs by Improving Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Care Specifically, the final rule will: - Require health plans to make changes when they are providing inadequate access to mental health and substance use care. - Make it clear what health plans can and cannot do. They cannot use more restrictive prior authorization, or other medical management techniques, or narrower networks to make it harder for people to access mental health and substance use disorder benefits than their medical benefits. They must use similar factors in setting out-of-network payment rates for mental health and substance use disorder providers as they do for medical providers. - Close existing loopholes including requiring non-federal governmental health plans, like those offered to state and local government employees, to comply with its requirements. Read full Fact Sheet: https://loom.ly/d0-lKak #MHPAEA #regulations #substanceuse #mentalhealth #treatment #behavioralhealth #opioids #healthcare #healthIT

The Biden administration’s new rule gives mental health the attention is deserves, aiming to close the gap between mental and physical healthcare by holding insurers accountable. If you’ve recently tried to find a therapist in-network, you know it’s a struggle—people are almost four times more likely to go out-of-network for mental health, pushing many to forgo treatment altogether. With over 84 million adults battling mental health challenges, this rule could make a real difference, but only if insurers play ball. Will they? Read this article to learn about the new rule.  https://lnkd.in/gZpETf5i #healthcarestaffing #healthcareindustry #healthcareats #mentalhealth

🧠⌛️ Health Care Equality - what about for #mentalhealthcare?   Unmet mental illness gap shines the following: 🔸Affordability is a never-ending struggle for all 🔸Accessibility is hindered by all kinds of barriers 🔸In-network pushes people out to external sources   This report from NAMI brings attention to the need for #mentalhealthparity.   #mentalhealth #healthcare #medicine

As this country continues to prioritize mental health care, we appreciate the attention and efforts directed at integrating behavioral health and primary care. Doing so not only reduces unnecessary spending, it improves outcomes and overall health. Moving to a value-based mental health care model may also be on the horizon. According to this article, to better coordinate treatment in a holistic manner, our system should, among other things, "develop guidance for payers to expand the use and adoption of value-based arrangements and alternative payment models." #valuebasedcare #mentalhealthcare #mentalhealth

How does your company support the mental health of its employees? The pandemic ushered a trend towards accepting teleheath as a service delivery method in resistant populations. Having worked in healthcare for almost two decades in a rural and frontier area, this was a welcome change - it has increased access for many. Currently 43.2% of Americans get services via telehealth compared to less than 1% at the start of 2020.  The second trend, however is unwelcome... the impact on our population's mental health... "In a recent analysis, the State Of Workforce Mental Health Report shows that 87% of U.S. workers across all industries reported having least one mental health issue, and 65% of employees said their mental health made it difficult to work. Interestingly, when compared with 2023, stress declined as a reported problem (from 51% to 40%) and burnout (20% from 30%). But employees are now reporting an increase in serious mental health issues such as chronic depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. The data show an increase in self-harm (3.3% from 1.4%), suicidal thoughts (5.0% from 3.4%), intimate partner violence (3.0% from 1.4%), and inpatient hospital stays (12.0% from 4.0%). In addition, over half (55%) of the U.S. workforce is supporting a child with mental health challenges; this is more than double those who reported in the prior year (19%)." If this concerns you, and you would like resources, consider subscribing to this industry newsletter:

Throughout my career I have been trying to find ways to make access easier for mental health. It's been an uphill battle with a ways to go. This week, two new reports came out that highlight the significant access problems for mental health and ways to solve them through policy. Inseparable partnered with Milliman to examine state-level data that was sourced from surveys and claims datasets. This report delves into key dimensions of access: condition prevalence, treatment patterns, and provider availability. In addition, inseparable's own report offers concrete policy recommendations based on the Milliman findings, emphasizing crucial areas for intervention and improvement in mental health care accessibility. Both are worth a read. Both have the potential to make an impact on access. You can find out how your state does with policies that promote access, too. https://lnkd.in/gJT4BCCu #mentalhealth #healthpolicy

"Individuals struggling with mental health conditions often rely on health plan provider directories to access affordable, quality health care services, and ghost networks can force patients to choose between paying out-of-pocket, which is not possible for many, or forgoing treatment altogether." Read the full story now: https://lnkd.in/ex2vKP2y #MentalHealthAccess #GhostNetworks #HealthcareReform #NYHealthcare #MentalHealthAwareness *This is intended to provide general information, not legal advice. Please contact the authors if you need specific legal advice.

Is something from your past stopping you from enjoying today? No-one can change the past, but you can learn to live without it affecting you. And we all deserve to enjoy each day, each week, each month - but it can be really hard for everyone to do that. In my counselling practice, I support adults who are struggling from past experiences like domestic violence, trauma, grief, anxiety, and change. Change really can throw a spanner in the works .... a change in health, at work, in a relationship and it alters you perspective. I've opened up a small number of additional appointments so you can get an appointment for Counselling in the coming weeks, without having to join a really long waitlist. Making your first appointment for Counselling can feel challenging, but I encourage you to take that first step. There's one thing I hear over and over again from clients after our first session that might help... so many say "Anne, why didn't I do this sooner..." You don't have to carry any burden alone - I'm here to support you. As I am AASW Accredited Mental Health Social Worker - clients with a mental health care plan are eligible for Medicare rebate and private health insurance rebates may be available, depending upon your level of cover. It doesn't matter where you live, as Appointments can be face-to-face or via Telehealth. You can book directly here: https://lnkd.in/gidrmFEG Or send me a 𝗗𝗠, and I'll find a suitable time for you. I'm here for you. #EmpoweredWomen #SelfCareForWomen #MentalHealthSupport #WellbeingJourney #MentalHealthMatters #WomenSupportingWomen