Mental Health Nursing

The number of people diagnosed with mental health issues such as depression continues to rise to new highs as the need for medical services to treat them is growing. Fifty-six percent of American adults with mental diseases do not receive treatment for these ailments. New evidence shows a dire lack of treatment among teens, with reports of teenagers committing suicide skyrocketing. The questions asked as to why people are not getting treatments to these problems remain to be asked. There is a stigma around mental illness patients that may hinder them from seeking care a problem that the Mental Health Awareness Month aims to solve. Our healthcare system has yet to treat mental health as comprehensively as it does physical health. There is no such thing as an insurance-covered annual mental health exam for instance, and therapists who do accept insurance are often working twice as hard just to get reimbursed by providers because most medical insurance companies simply do not cover.

Most patients have been through the ringer trying to not only find a therapist who accepts their insurance but is also taking in new clients. Several experts in the field say that there is still hope and saying there are multiple ways to get the care they need without going broke in the process.

Dr. Adam C. Powell, president of Payer+Provider Syndicate says that people with health insurance should begin their journey to wellness on their health plan’s website. He says health plans may manage their mental health benefits internally or outsource them to a vendor. The health plan will also specify the mental health care providers that are covered, any associated costs, and any benefit limitations. Plans are required to offer comparable coverage for mental and physical healthcare coverage according to the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). The financial requirements, quantitative treatment limitations, and non-quantitative treatment limitations applied to mental health benefits may not differ from those that are applied to physical health benefits when the MHPAEA applies.

Powell adds that If insurance is not obtainable, one may seek help at a local social services agency, student health center, i.e., if he or she is a student or a Federally Qualified Health Center also known as community-based healthcare centers that are government funded.Sonya Veytsman a Licensed Social Clinical Worker (LCSW) proposes that people should also reach out to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) as they offer free help 24hrs seven days a week. It is also advised that one should avoid visiting the ER if possible, not only because you'll likely get stuck with a huge bill, but because the ER, in Powell's estimation, is not designed to work with people to improve their mental health over time. He echoes that care should only be sought at an emergency department in the event of an urgent crisis

There are a few numbers of therapists who are taking new clients but not with insurance. Most of the people will be discouraged by their high hourly rates but they will often adjust their fee to match one’s financial resources. Dr. Laura Chackes, the founder of The Center for Mindfulness & CBT in St. Louis, Missouri, tries to ask the patient how much they can afford for the treatment and try their best to make it work. She argues that most of their therapists who do a sliding scale will slide down from $120 to about $60 per session. They also bring interns who say will be able to see patients at even lower rates ranging from $10 to $50 per hour.

Source: https://www.nbcnews.com