Sarah Davis’ Post

Massachusetts has the best “state of mental health” in the nation, according to a new report released today by Mental Health America (MHA). The report, compiled annually by MHA, ranks Massachusetts first among states in its overall scoring based on 15 measures related to the prevalence of mental health and substance use conditions and access to treatment. This achievement is the result of deep commitment, targeted reforms, careful investments, and hard work from policymakers, payers, and providers in the service of state residents who live with mental health and substance use conditions. Despite scoring well on most measures, the report identified a number of system gaps. For example, the report found that 68,000 Massachusetts adults with a mental health condition are uninsured, and another 47,000 adults have health insurance that does not cover mental or emotional problems. Notably, Massachusetts ranked 36th for the percentage of youth with private insurance that does not cover mental or emotional problems, affecting more than 9% of youth with private insurance. These measures strongly suggest a need for more effective enforcement of insurance parity laws. A copy of the complete “2024 State of Mental Health” report, along with state-by-state data and links to data sources, can be found here: https://ow.ly/BLEz50SMqOh

We still don't have parity for mental health care. A landmark report just released by the nonprofit research institute RTI International, Behavioral Health Parity – Pervasive Disparities in Access to In-Network Care Continue, documents the barriers that people with mental illness encounter when trying to access mental health care. The report shows how poorly they fare compared to people seeking other medical services and provides state-by-state findings. Key findings: People are forced to seek care from higher cost, out-of-network providers for mental health and substance use treatment — at far higher rates than for other medical and surgical care.  Mental health providers are routinely paid less than other M/S providers.   Out-of-network use was 3.5 times higher for mental health/substance use disorder treatment than for other medical services, similar to the finding from the most recent Milliman report. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gf9AuAE2

In 2022, 23% of adults received mental health treatment, up from 19% in 2019 (Figure 1). Specifically, the share of adults saying they received mental health counseling in the past year increased from 10% in 2019 to 13% in 2022. Similarly, the share of adults reporting they took prescription medication for mental health conditions increased from 16% to 19% during the same period. Receipt of prescription medication remained consistently higher than counseling (19% vs. 13%, respectively, in 2022). #mentalhealth #coverage #publichealth https://lnkd.in/gKbaPdAW

So important to recognize and address these and other barriers to care.

In 2022, 23% of adults received mental health treatment, up from 19% in 2019 (Figure 1). Specifically, the share of adults saying they received mental health counseling in the past year increased from 10% in 2019 to 13% in 2022. Similarly, the share of adults reporting they took prescription medication for mental health conditions increased from 16% to 19% during the same period. Receipt of prescription medication remained consistently higher than counseling (19% vs. 13%, respectively, in 2022). #mentalhealth #coverage #publichealth https://lnkd.in/gKbaPdAW

In 2022, 23% of adults received mental health treatment, up from 19% in 2019 (Figure 1). Specifically, the share of adults saying they received mental health counseling in the past year increased from 10% in 2019 to 13% in 2022. Similarly, the share of adults reporting they took prescription medication for mental health conditions increased from 16% to 19% during the same period. Receipt of prescription medication remained consistently higher than counseling (19% vs. 13%, respectively, in 2022). #mentalhealth #coverage #publichealth https://lnkd.in/gPUMrpca

What's the largest Mental Health Parity Risk? ... Getting sued by your plan members. For example ... More than half of 18- to 30-year-olds were experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, and over 100K die from overdoses each year. Assume they tried to get mental healthcare or a prescription ... it was denied ... and then something bad happens. Then the Plan Sponsor gets sued ... and then they sue everyone else around them. That is how the biggest risk plays out, and it reiterates why having a Parity Analysis is to critical. https://lnkd.in/eTPhCQWh

A new analysis from KFF sheds light on mental health service utilization among US adults. From 2019 to 2022, the percentage of adults who received mental health treatment increased from 19% to 23%. Additional highlights from the report include: 📈 A rise in adults receiving mental health counseling, from 10% in 2019 to 13% in 2022. 📈 An increase in those taking prescription medication for mental health issues, from 16% to 19%. Learn more and view the full report - https://lnkd.in/gwvGn6it

More data shows... — Demand for #mentalhealth services is at a new historic high — Demand for #telehealth in the mental health space is quite durable — The increased use of the mental health system, as shown claims data, is driven by those aged 18 to 44 #behavioralhealth #addictiontreatment #virtualcare https://lnkd.in/e9EmxJhi

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of ERISA by delving into its impact on mental health coverage. Learn about the evolution of regulations like the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and how they affect employer-sponsored health plans. Discover the crucial role of ERIC in advocating for comprehensive mental health care access. Take a deep dive into the proposed MHPAEA rule changes and explore alternative solutions to support mental health professionals and patients. #ERISA #mentalhealthcoverage #healthcarepolicy #workplace