The Government Accountability Office found that consumers face a variety of challenges accessing mental health benefits provided under their health plans, according to a March 30 report.
Five things to know:
1. Consumers face challenges finding in-network providers.
2. Factors contributing to these challenges included low reimbursement rates for mental health services and inaccurate or out-of-date information on provider networks.
3. Consumers experience challenges with restrictive health plan approval processes and plan coverage limitations, hamstringing their access to care.
4. A representative from one health system reported that some health plans are less likely to grant prior authorization for mental health hospital stays compared with medical and surgical stays.
5. Variation in treatment standards can affect access to care. There is no agreed upon set of standards used in the U.S. to make mental health treatment decisions.
Read the full report here.