Insurance challenges are hurting access to mental health services
· News-MedicalAlthough demand for mental health treatment remains high, administrative and financial barriers are preventing many psychologists from participating in insurance networks, according to the American Psychological Association's 2024 Practitioner Pulse Survey. Barriers by many insurance companies can make it more difficult for psychologists to remain in-network and for patients to access the care they need, exacerbating the ongoing mental health crisis.
This annual survey, which was conducted among 853 psychologists in September 2024, by APA and its companion organization APA Services Inc, found that around a third (34%) of psychologists weren't accepting any form of health insurance, with nearly half of them (48%) saying they had participated in insurance networks in the past. Only 18% of psychologists said that they had never participated with insurance in their careers.
Among psychologists who quit insurance networks or never participated with insurance, more than 8 in 10 (82%) said that insufficient reimbursement rates were a primary obstacle to taking insurance. Additionally, 62% reported administrative challenges, such as pre-authorization requirements and audits as barriers to their participation. And more than half of this group (52%) pointed to concerns about payment reliability, including delays in payment and refund demands as barriers.
These findings come alongside indications that demand for mental health treatment continues to soar. More than half (53%) of psychologists said that they didn't have any openings for new patients. And a similar number (51%) reported an increase in symptom severity among patients along with more than four in 10 (44%) reporting that their patients have needed an increased duration of treatment.
METHODOLOGY
The APA Practitioner Pulse Survey series has been conducted annually since 2020. Originally intended to track changes in psychological practice during the COVID-19 public health emergency, the survey has since been revised to track changes in the workforce after the emergency expired in May 2023.
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