Ga. legislators plan push to insure mental health on par with physical coverage

[spooky3]

1. Here is a big problem unaddressed in that law or Obamacare:

Psychologists get hourly rates from private insurance based on what Medicare will pay. But that rate is so low that a friend who is a counselor said it would not cover her office and insurance expense. She has no office assistant and has a reasonable office. So, she and most other psychologists who are good and experienced do not accept insurance or Medicare. Or, they will accept it as partial payment, about half of what they charge patients, which excludes them from many PPO lists. Therefore, if you can’t afford to pay at least half, plus any deductible, coinsurance, etc., you won’t get care.

On paper this looks as if the policy is the same for mental and physical treatment. But it isn’t. The psychologist cannot delegate any of the care to lower paid PA, techs, NPs, and can’t limit you to a 10 or 15 minute appointment and then charge $150. So it will be very difficult to find a counselor in most big cities who is both good and affordable.