The Full Informed Consent: The Mental Health System Is Broken—And Health Insurance Companies Are (partly) to Blame

We all know that mental health care is just as crucial as physical health care. In fact, the division between the two is artificial and counterproductive. Yet insurance companies continue to treat mental health care as an afterthought. Though federal law mandates equal access to mental and physical health services, my experience shows that insurance companies regularly deny or delay coverage for the person-centered psychiatric care I provide.

This shady behavior has devastating effects on patients, families, and mental health providers alike.