RTI INTERNATIONAL AND THE BOWMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION


Associated tags: Parity, American Psychiatric Association, National Alliance, Research, Quality, RTI International, National Association, Patient, Mental health, Physician, Milliman, American Psychological Association, Research institute, HRSA, RTI, Health insurance

New Study Finds Continuing Pervasive Disparities in Access to In-Network Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Parity, American Psychiatric Association, National Alliance, Research, Quality, RTI International, National Association, Patient, Mental health, Physician, Milliman, American Psychological Association, Research institute, HRSA, RTI, Health insurance

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., April 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study by health economists at nonprofit research institute RTI International adds to recent research demonstrating a lack of access to affordable mental health and substance use disorder treatment in the U.S.

Key Points: 
  • Notably, physician assistants were reimbursed for office visits at an average amount 19% higher than psychiatrists and 23% higher than psychologists.
  • "Our findings echo recent surveys and secret shopper studies that show much greater dissatisfaction with, and lower access to, behavioral health providers than medical/surgical providers."
  • "RTI concluded that high out-of-network use for mental health and substance use treatment cannot be explained by a shortage of behavioral health providers," said Henry Harbin, M.D., senior advisor to The Bowman Family Foundation.
  • The report was commissioned by the Mental Health Treatment and Research Institute, a tax-exempt subsidiary of The Bowman Family Foundation.