In an ideal world, everyone would have access to affordable, quality health insurance. Clinicians would provide the care that’s needed, and insurers would reliably process and pay claims. If problems arose, laws, regulations, and litigation would ensure compliance and fairness and help protect patients and their treatment. After all, health insurance benefits are designed to help people access the care they need to maintain their health and well-being without facing overwhelming obstacles and financial burdens.
Regrettably, this ideal system remains elusive. Disparities in insurance coverage, especially for mental health, routinely force people to choose between forgoing essential care or incurring massive out-of-pocket expenses. When it comes to therapies of depth, insight and relationship, obtaining appropriate insurance coverage may be especially difficult. For those already facing mental health and addiction issues, navigating insurance denials and fighting for appropriate coverage can be a daunting prospect. When the system falls short, advocacy by patients and clinicians may be required. Yet, many clinicians feel equally disempowered and lost.
The purpose of this panel is to empower clinicians with the knowledge and resources needed to support patients in obtaining appropriate reimbursement for treatment. Drawing on their diverse professional backgrounds, panelists will identify common barriers to care, demystify the systemic factors underlying these barriers, and provide practical resources – tools, templates, step-by-step instructions – to address them.
