Is the Affordable Care Act Sufficient for Mental Healthcare?

March 31, 2016 - There are specific provisions that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has brought to the American people. This includes eliminating healthcare coverage restrictions such as the clause surrounding pre-existing conditions. Additionally, young adults under 26 years of age are allowed to remain on their parents’ health insurance plans due to the Affordable Care Act. All of this actually helps young adults suffering from mental illness or substance abuse disorders obtain coverage and healthcare access.

The Partnership for Drug-free Kids stated that many American residents qualify for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act but are unaware of this fact. Pre-existing substance abuse disorders or mental health conditions are no longer denied insurance.

“A major trend affecting families today is mental illness and substance use disorders,” the Partnership explained. “While behavioral health care has been shown to be effective, only a small fraction of those suffering receive professional treatment. Changes in health care insurance with the passage of the Affordable Care Act(ACA) has left many parents wondering how to get their grown children covered and into treatment.”

“Many Americans qualify for health coverage under the ACA and don’t know it. No one can be denied care because of pre-existing mental illness or substance use disorders.”

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 along with the ACA does tend to provide those in need of mental health and substance abuse treatment with full coverage.

Essentially, these regulations ensure that health insurance companies provide similar health plan coverage to these conditions when compared to more physical diseases. Starting in the middle of 2014, as many as 87 percent of US citizens were eligible to receive rehabilitation services for mental or behavioral concerns as well as substance abuse problems including smoking, the Partnership for Drug-free Kids reported.

These provisions within the Affordable Care Act could make a real difference for those suffering from depression or alcohol abuse as well as potentially bring a reduction in the suicide rate around the country. Today, the most common cause of death among American citizens under age 50 is suicide. Hopefully, the Affordable Care Act can make a difference for those with mental health issues.

Prior to the ACA, there was a large gap in years between individuals having onset of mental health symptoms and receiving the treatment they needed. Nonetheless, there is evidence that the Affordable Care Act may not be quite enough to ensure effective mental healthcare access among the American people.

For instance, health insurance companies may only cover certain portions of drug rehabilitation services. Additionally, a report from the National Alliance on Mental Illness found that the majority of health insurance plans still do not offer parity  in   coverage between mental health services and physical care.

The report found that only 55% of psychiatrist around the nation  take health insurance of any kind. Along with this, the amount of psychiatrists who accept Medicaid or Medicare coverage is below par as well.

The Affordable Care Act also established the health insurance exchanges. However, as many as 25 percent of patients searching for mental health services through a plan purchased on the exchange, are unable to find a provider in their particular network.

Patients  surveyed in the report stated having difficulty accessing psychiatrists as well as counselors or therapists for treating substance abuse disorders.While there may need to be more revisions and update established for Health Care reform and the Affordable Care Act, it seems likely that the ACA is here to stay.

The New York Times reported that there has been less aim at repealing the healthcare law among Republican presidential candidates in recent months. While it is on their agenda, it does not seem to take priority, according to the news source.

“Most Republicans insist that they would keep popular provisions such as guaranteeing coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. Gov. John Kasich embraced the law’s expansion of Medicaid in Ohio,” The New York Times reported. “The Republican front-runner, Donald J. Trump, has said he likes the mandate to get health insurance — the centerpiece of the act and chief target of most conservative critics — and that he would not let people ‘die sitting in the middle of the street.’”

The Affordable Care Act has provided 20 million more Americans with health insurance coverage and its Medicaid expansion provisions are offering low-income people more opportunities to access medical care. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell told the source that the ACA has also led to significantly fewer patients being inadvertently harmed during hospital stays.

“This [the ACA] is in the fabric of the nation,” Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell told the news source.

Despite the successes of Obamacare, the federal government and health payers may need to work further to improve mental healthcare access whether through the Affordable Care Act or other necessary reforms.