Many people wonder why it’s so hard to find a psychiatrist by insurance. It was difficult pre-pandemic and more difficult now that people need more mental health support. Big cities like New York, Washington, and Los Angeles, where the demand for mental health care is higher, take a severe hit.
Most clinics can only give excuses to patients in need, such as a full schedule, no longer taking insurance, or do not call back. And those who are in dire need are left with the hope that they can chance upon an online psychiatrist that takes insurance.
Because it’s tough to find psychiatrists who take insurance, most are often fully booked to accommodate the next patient. Either that or you must go through a painstaking process and considerations before getting the health assistance you need.
But why is such a phenomenon happening? Are there negative circumstances for psychiatrists who take insurance? Let’s take a closer look.
Anxiety & Depression Association of America board member and licensed clinical social worker Ken Goodman makes twice as much if he accepts cash, so he discontinued his insurance provider.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness was surveyed in 2016, and the results say that around 34% of the subjects have difficulty finding a psychiatrist by insurance. About 9% had a hard time finding in-network primary care providers.
In 2017, a consulting firm, Milliman, found that the primary care visit rate was only 3.2%, while out-of-network consultations were 17.2%. Similarly, Millman analyzed the insurance claims data in 2019 and found that beneficiaries of out-of-network providers have higher consultation rates than primary care.
If you can’t find a psychiatrist who takes insurance, your only choice is to pay out of pocket, which could cost you a lot of money. The rate depends on which state or city you live in, but the standard rate for a seasoned clinical psychologist may already cost over $300 per 45 minutes.According to the National Association of Social Workers, licensed clinical social workers charge $120 – $180. Using other benefits, you can get a small portion of the fee reimbursed. That’s because insurance companies pay only one-third to half of their standard rates. Some psychiatrists are discouraged by the amount of paperwork and the policies that cover the kind of care they provide.
Meanwhile, the most sought-after psychiatric care providers can freely take insurance or not. Most of the sought-after professionals prefer to take out-of-pocket payments because they make more this way.
Because of the challenging process of booking a psychiatrist who takes insurance, many who need mental care are frustrated, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted the well-being of many people. But do insurance companies see the issue, and are they doing something about it?To address the growing demand, insurance companies like Anthem Inc. have added 2,000 more psychiatric care providers to fill its telehealth program. The company has also reviewed reimbursements regularly to ensure that primary care providers are properly compensated.
Other insurance groups have followed suit, some of which have started improving their numbers in the last five years. Insurance companies may take time to expand their network massively, but the process has begun. People who need medical attention can expect easier access to more psychiatric care providers in due time if this progress continues.