On this edition of Your Call, we're discussing why it's so difficult to find a therapist who takes insurance.
"Although almost all Americans are insured, about half of people with mental illness are unable to access treatment," according to a new investigation from ProPublica and NPR.
They spoke with over 500 psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists and found that many were forced out or left insurance companies because the networks withheld reimbursements or questioned whether patients, even those vulnerable to suicide, needed to continue in treatment. Some therapists got caught in red tape trying to deal with contested claims, and many struggled to make ends meet because reimbursement rates are notoriously low.
What can be done to fix the system?
Guests:
Annie Waldman, ProPublica health reporter
Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR health correspondent
Resources:
ProPublica: America’s Mental Barrier: How Insurers Interfere With Mental Health Care
NPR: Finding a therapist who takes your insurance can be nearly impossible. Here's why
