Jun 14, 2022
Over the past two years, nearly all health plan members who sought mental health care received treatment for themselves or family, according to a survey by America's Health Insurance Plans. Seventy-three percent found it easy to get care. More than two-thirds got an appointment in less than a month. Respondents were covered through some form of health insurance, such as employer-provided coverage, individual-market coverage, Medicare, Medicaid, or coverage through Veterans Affairs.
Matt Eyles, AHIP President and CEO said, "We know there are challenges, particularly as more people seek support than ever before. Health insurance providers are working hard on a variety of solutions including expanding access to telehealth appointments, integrating mental health into primary care visits, and creating innovative programs to increase the number of mental health care practitioners available."
The survey also reveals the following:
- Satisfaction: 90% are satisfied with the mental health support they received
- Coverage: 60% say their mental health support was fully covered by insurance while another 33% say it was partially covered by insurance. Only 3% say their care was not covered
- Most Used Services: Individual counseling or therapy in a health care professional's office was the most frequently used service (56%), with counseling or therapy through telehealth coming in second (38%)
