They studied, honed their skills and opened practices, joining health insurance networks that put them within reach of people who couldn’t afford to pay for sessions out of pocket.
So did more than 500 other psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists who shared their experiences with ProPublica.
But one after another, they confronted a system set up to squeeze them out.
Although federal law requires insurers to provide the same access to mental and physical health care, these companies have been caught, time and again, shortchanging customers with mental illness — restricting coverage and delaying or denying treatment.
These patients — whose disorders can be chronic and costly — are bad for business, industry insiders told ProPublica.
“The way to look at mental health care from an insurance perspective is: I don’t want to attract those people. I am never going to make money on them,” said Ron Howrigon, a consultant who used to manage contracts with providers for major insurers. “One way to get rid of those people or not get them is to not have a great network.”
There are nowhere near enough available therapists in insurance networks to serve all of the people seeking care. […]
This article clearly demonstrates the corruption inherent in the current system. There is no even playing field. What we do have is large corporations permitted the ability to exploit smaller companies, and patients for profit by cost shifting onto others. Cost shifting by its nature is always a demonstration of power. It shows there is no “traffic cop” ensuring that all obey the same rules. That’s our problem, there are multiple sets of rules in finance, healthcare and the justice system which depend upon wealth and power not upon principle. Lacking principle, the effected systems are doomed to fail. We all will pay the price.
I have to believe that the CONSTANT use of one’s phone and when that is finished the use of social media CONSTANTLY has clearly led to loneliness, depression, and other mental ills. I was raised that anything done excessively will eventually harm you, and this is what I see. Go in a restaurant, see a family of four sitting at a table—-what are they doing? They are all looking at their phones and not talking to each other.
Some schools at least are finally prohibiting cellphones in school. That’s a start. And parents have to get into the act when children are very young and limit phone time. Sure, it seemed a way to occupy the kids so that the parents can’t be bothered, but look at the result! If this continues, suicide among teens, anxiety, and other mental ills will continue to multiply. It is up to parents and teachers to limit phone time—for long periods of time and offer another activity!!!