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The headline "Managed Care Denies MH Care at Lower Rate Than Expected" suggests that the public and clinicians may have imagined the obstructions to care of which they complain. The article itself reports that patients referred for mental health care were denied benefits more than patients referred to other specialists. There is no breakdown as to the number of denials for patients referred to psychiatrists. Our members tell us that many of them are not permitted to accept referrals except for medication management. There are no data regarding denial of access to continued care, care beyond the initial few visits. The author notes that many physicians have simply stopped trying to get approval for this. Moreover, many patients or their families have simply opted to pay "out of pocket," being aware of the new rules of the game.
Lawrence Y. Kline, M.D.
Chair
APA Council on Economic Affairs