Mental or behavioral health care addresses a variety of needs — including treating patients with autism or Down syndrome, depression, anxiety, as well as substance use disorder.
Every Michigan family can be impacted by those conditions, so the quality of behavioral health coverage in our state should concern us all.
Unfortunately, most health care coverage falls short of what’s needed for proper mental health care of Michigan residents. Michigan’s current public mental health system is high-performing, but further state funding and support would make it even more helpful to those seeking mental health treatment.
Most urgently, the private sector needs to expand and improve insurance coverage for mental health treatment. Where there is private mental health coverage, it is often unaffordable. Narrow insurance networks make it difficult for patients to find a provider in-network, forcing them to pay costs they cannot afford if they choose to pursue treatment. Getting approvals for mental health treatment can be time-consuming and often difficult when someone is in the middle of a crisis.