Mental Health Awareness – New Laws & Coverage for Health Care
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year it is especially important to break the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Mental health is a part of overall wellness, just as physical health and dental health, and we believe it should be just as easy to get mental health care as it is to get care for other issues that may be more visible.
Covid-19 and Mental Health
It’s no surprise that the Covid-19 pandemic and events of the last 2 years have increased awareness of mental health needs across the country. Close to half of all people in the United States have reported feelings of anxiety and depression in the last year – 41% of all adults and 56% of adolescents. This is a huge jump when you consider that prior to the onset of the pandemic, only 10% of adults reported these symptoms. (The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance Use | KFF)
It’s no surprise that the Covid-19 pandemic and events of the last 2 years have increased awareness of mental health needs across the country. Close to half of all people in the United States have reported feelings of anxiety and depression in the last year – 41% of all adults and 56% of adolescents. This is a huge jump when you consider that prior to the onset of the pandemic, only 10% of adults reported these symptoms. (The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance Use | KFF)
Not only have mental health symptoms increased, but so has substance abuse and alcohol usage. Sadly, many people turned to self-medication and harmful coping mechanisms to deal with the stress of the lockdowns and changes in lifestyle, instead of turning to mental health professionals.
At least one good thing has come out of the pandemic and the subsequent mental health issues affecting so many people today. Lawmakers and health care professionals have been focusing their attention on reducing the stigma of seeking mental health care and making it more accessible to the public regardless of location or socioeconomic status.
New Policies & Laws
In 2008, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) was passed. This act required treatments and costs of treatments for mental health and substance abuse issues to be no more limiting than surgical and medical treatment for physical ailments. Although this act has been in place for more than a decade, it was vague and hard to enforce because there were no rules to follow.
Finally, the guidelines have been released for health care plans, and there are standards that must be followed and reported. As these new standards are implemented, we will begin to see an increase in affordable mental health care nationwide. (New Mental Health Policies Improve Access to Care in the U.S. (psycom.net))
Policies are beginning to be passed at the state level as well.
New Mexico’s “No Behavioral Cost Sharing Act” went into effect in January of this year. Under this new law, health insurance providers must fully cover all behavioral health services, including preventative care for mental health disorders, substance abuse disorders, medications, and even detox. The patient will only have to pay the insurance premium, but there will be no out of pocket costs beyond that.
New Jersey passed a similar law to New Mexico, aimed at providing adolescents with free mental health screenings. Their goal is to ensure that teenagers are able to get the mental health care they need without having to worry about cost.
California has also stepped up in the mental health care space. Senate Bill 244 requires all school health classes to also teach about mental health, including depression, schizophrenia, and mood disorders. Lawmakers believe this will create awareness while giving teens the tools to advocate for peers who may be afflicted with mental health issues. (New law on mental health curriculum goes into effect with start of the new year | EdSource)
We are confident that these changes will positively impact the face of mental health, and we hope that more states will follow suit and expand access to mental health services across the country.
How and When to Get Help
Another benefit that has come out of the Covid-19 pandemic is that telemedicine visits have become more mainstream and are likely here to stay. Many insurance providers offer telemedicine visits for mental health care, which makes accessibility and cost more attainable for patients.
Telemedicine visits can be done from the privacy of your home. They can also be scheduled during lunch breaks or in other short windows of time and getting to and from appointments doesn’t need to be a hindrance any longer. It has never been this easy to get the mental health care you need.
It can sometimes be difficult to know whether you should reach out for help or wait things out and see if they get better. While seeking mental health care is often a very personal decision, it can be helpful to realize that you aren’t alone, and that someone else understands what you are going through.
If you are unhappy with your life, find yourself unable to manage things as well as you once could, or if you are finding it difficult to function in your day-to-day tasks, getting a mental health check-up is the best decision you can make.
If you already have health insurance, call your provider, and ask them about the mental health resources they offer.
We love connecting people with affordable healthcare that is right for them, so if you don’t have a provider yet, send us a message and we can help. We are committed to walking beside you, no matter where this journey of life takes you.