Protect Insurance Coverage for Telehealth and Tele-Mental Health Services
Telehealth has expanded access to specialty psychotherapists, particularly for conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which is often misdiagnosed or inadequately treated. Even in urban areas, individuals struggle to find specialized providers, and telehealth has bridged this gap by allowing clients to connect with experts regardless of geographical limitations.
Additionally, telehealth has reduced significant barriers to care for many individuals, including:
Parents caring for children at home, who cannot arrange childcare for in-person appointments.
Working individuals who can now receive therapy remotely during a lunch break, rather than taking time off work.
Clients with limited transportation who would otherwise miss or delay essential treatment.
For certain disorders, such as OCD, telehealth has enabled more effective treatment by allowing exposure-based interventions to take place in the actual environments where distress occurs. This approach can significantly improve outcomes compared to traditional in-office therapy.
Beyond access and efficacy, abruptly revoking telehealth coverage would be deeply harmful to both clients and clinicians. Many individuals have developed strong therapeutic relationships with their providers, and a sudden disruption would leave them without the vital mental health services they rely on. The consequences of such a loss could be severe, leading to worsened symptoms, increased hospitalizations, and reduced overall well-being.
Finally, research continues to demonstrate the positive efficacy of tele-mental health services, showing comparable—if not superior—outcomes to in-person care for many psychological conditions. Given this evidence, eliminating access to a proven, effective, and widely utilized mode of care would be a significant step backward in mental health policy.
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