WATCHING KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS, A MAJOR SHORTAGE IN NEW MEXICO WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE, OUR STATE REPORTEDLY HAS JUST 19% OF THE PROVIDERS NEEDED. WELL, BECAUSE OF THIS, PEOPLE ARE FACING LONG WAIT TIMES, HIGH OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS, AND SOMETIMES EVEN GO WITHOUT TREATMENT, WHICH COULD WORSEN OUTCOMES, EXPERTS SAY. LOW PAY BUT HIGH EDUCATION COSTS AND BURNOUT ARE PUSHING PROVIDERS OUT AND DISCOURAGING PEOPLE FROM COMING IN. BUT ONE ORGANIZATION SAYS THERE IS SOME HOPE. SO ONE THING THAT NEW MEXICO DID RECENTLY WAS ENACT LEGISLATION TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE FORCED TO GO OUT OF NETWORK FOR CARE, THAT’S STILL BEING COVERED BY INSURANCE COMPANIES. SO THAT’S HUGE. SO WHEN YOU SEE THAT HIGH RATE OF PEOPLE GOING OUT OF NETWORK, THAT MEANS THEY’RE STILL HAVING IT BEING PAID FOR BY INSURANCE COMPANIES. SO THAT’S A HUGE PROGRESS. SHE ALSO SAYS NEARLY HALF OF AMERICANS WITH A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION CLAIM THEY RECEIVE NO TREATMENT. THE ORGANIZATION HAS WORKED FOR THE PAST FI
New Mexico is facing a major shortage when it comes to mental health care. The state reportedly has just 19 percent of the providers needed, and because of this, people are facing wait times, high out-of-pocket costs, and sometimes even go without treatment, which could worsen outcomes.According to experts, low pay but high education costs and burnouts are pushing providers out and discouraging people from coming in, but one organization says there is hope. “So one thing that New Mexico did recently was enact a legislation to ensure that people who are forced to go out of network for care are still being covered by insurance companies,” Caitlin Hochul, the Senior VP at Inseparable Mental Health, says. “That’s huge, so when you see that high rate of people going out of network, that means they’re still having it being paid for by insurance companies and that’s huge progress.”Hochul also says nearly half of Americans with a mental health condition claim they receive no treatment. The organization has worked for the past five years to protect and expand mental health access at state and federal levels.
New Mexico is facing a major shortage when it comes to mental health care. The state reportedly has just 19 percent of the providers needed, and because of this, people are facing wait times, high out-of-pocket costs, and sometimes even go without treatment, which could worsen outcomes.
According to experts, low pay but high education costs and burnouts are pushing providers out and discouraging people from coming in, but one organization says there is hope.
“So one thing that New Mexico did recently was enact a legislation to ensure that people who are forced to go out of network for care are still being covered by insurance companies,” Caitlin Hochul, the Senior VP at Inseparable Mental Health, says. “That’s huge, so when you see that high rate of people going out of network, that means they’re still having it being paid for by insurance companies and that’s huge progress.”
Hochul also says nearly half of Americans with a mental health condition claim they receive no treatment. The organization has worked for the past five years to protect and expand mental health access at state and federal levels.
