Require Private Insurance Companies to Improve Residential Care Coverage
Less than 20% of all Private Insurance Companies Provide Residential Mental Health and Drug/Alcohol Rehab Coverage for Adults or Children
More than 80% of United States private insurance companies refuse to provide any residential or long-term mental health (or drug/alcohol rehab) coverage to its customers/subscribers, yet, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older ? about one in four adults ? suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.
Yet, according to a the National Survey on Drug Use and Health Report, only 18.3% of all reported inpatient stays in mental health facilities were covered by private insurance, while 18.3% of inpatient stays were paid by families, and 43.7% were paid by public insurance, such as Medicaid and Medicare. These findings suggest that even though the majority of adults have some form of health insurance coverage, there are significant limitations on coverage for mental health services. And with an average residential cost that equates to $25K a month, and an average residential stay lasting six (6) months, residential care payments by individuals are too costly for most Americans to consider. And these numbers of Americans suffering with mental illness don't even include the four (4) million children and adolescents in this country who suffer from a serious mental disorder that causes significant functional impairments at home, at school and with peers. And an additional 21% average of American children, under the age of 18, suffering from diagnosable and treatable mental illness causing mild to moderate impairments.
How is this lack of coverage possible when a federal law to ensure Americans with mental health issues were provided fair coverage by private insurance companies was enacted in 2008? The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) is still not being honored by most private health insurance companies. The long-term and residential coverage needed by millions of Americans each year is rarely provided. The MHPAEA is a federal law that generally prevents group health plans and health insurance issuers that provide mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) benefits from imposing less favorable benefit limitations on those benefits than on medical/surgical coverage, yet FEWER THAN 20% of all private American health insurance companies provide any form of residential or long-term care coverage. This Act was created to help Americans who pay premiums on private insurance to receive fair and equitable coverage and treatment, yet they are not receiving such care and coverage. Only 18% of Americans will receive coverage for residential are. This must be changed to provide the services so desperately needed by so many Americans.
An untreated mental disorder can lead to a more severe, more difficult to treat illness and to the development of co-occurring mental illnesses. This applies to adults and children alike. The goal of mental health services is to help individuals achieve recovery and improve th
Yet, according to a the National Survey on Drug Use and Health Report, only 18.3% of all reported inpatient stays in mental health facilities were covered by private insurance, while 18.3% of inpatient stays were paid by families, and 43.7% were paid by public insurance, such as Medicaid and Medicare. These findings suggest that even though the majority of adults have some form of health insurance coverage, there are significant limitations on coverage for mental health services. And with an average residential cost that equates to $25K a month, and an average residential stay lasting six (6) months, residential care payments by individuals are too costly for most Americans to consider. And these numbers of Americans suffering with mental illness don't even include the four (4) million children and adolescents in this country who suffer from a serious mental disorder that causes significant functional impairments at home, at school and with peers. And an additional 21% average of American children, under the age of 18, suffering from diagnosable and treatable mental illness causing mild to moderate impairments.
How is this lack of coverage possible when a federal law to ensure Americans with mental health issues were provided fair coverage by private insurance companies was enacted in 2008? The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) is still not being honored by most private health insurance companies. The long-term and residential coverage needed by millions of Americans each year is rarely provided. The MHPAEA is a federal law that generally prevents group health plans and health insurance issuers that provide mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) benefits from imposing less favorable benefit limitations on those benefits than on medical/surgical coverage, yet FEWER THAN 20% of all private American health insurance companies provide any form of residential or long-term care coverage. This Act was created to help Americans who pay premiums on private insurance to receive fair and equitable coverage and treatment, yet they are not receiving such care and coverage. Only 18% of Americans will receive coverage for residential are. This must be changed to provide the services so desperately needed by so many Americans.
An untreated mental disorder can lead to a more severe, more difficult to treat illness and to the development of co-occurring mental illnesses. This applies to adults and children alike. The goal of mental health services is to help individuals achieve recovery and improve th
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