The COVID-19 pandemic — and the resultant recession — harmed Americans’ mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. Social distancing requirements and stay-at-home orders became barriers for individuals suffering from substance abuse disorders or mental illness. People couldn’t attend face to face support group or therapy appointments, and counseling services stalled.
We may be a suicide cleanup company, but offering compassionate care and helpful resources to families affected by suicide is important to us. We want bring to light how the mental health industry learned from COVID-19 and the mental health amenities providers offer to the public, especially during times of crisis.
Significant progress has been made with insurance companies. Therapy options like Telehealth, online counseling, online support groups are supported and various doctors expect support will continue through 2021 at least.
How COVID-19 Changed the Mental Health Industry
To understand how COVID-19 changed the mental health industry, we’d like to lay down some baseline statistics.
COVID-19 and Mental Health in the US Statistics
According to research published by Kaiser (KFF.org):
- As of 2021, roughly 40% of adults in the US reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder
- This is triple the one in ten adults who reported these symptoms in 2019
The American Psychological Association (APA) reported that opioid-related overdoses were on the rise throughout COVID-19. The responsibility fell to insurance companies and providers to battle our overall decline in mental and emotional health.
How Mental Healthcare Providers and Insurance Companies Responded to the COVID-19 Mental Health Crisis in the US
As of June 2021, providers continue to accept telehealth as an alternative way for patients to see therapists.
Thanks to social media outlets and virtual meeting options like Skype and Zoom, many healthcare providers adapted to providing “telehealth” appointments for patients. Key players in the industry — even those with a reputation for bureaucracy and red tape, like insurers, Medicare and Social Services — were surprisingly quick to adopt new service methods.
Most therapists continue to offer telehealth appointments throughout 2021.
If you are in search of a therapist, look for therapists in your state. Because we’re towards the end of the U.S. COVID-19 pandemic, states and counties are reopening, which means continued telehealth support, but limited availability. It’s wise to build relationships with counselors that you know you can see nearby.
The Mental Health Industry Post Coronavirus
With the U.S. nearing the end of the pandemic, major U.S. cities are reopening at full capacity. Roughly 73% of vaccinated adults report an improvement in their mental health, according to a study of 1,500 vaccinated adults performed by Walgreens.
But will telehealth continue to be approved by insurance for those that prefer it?
Will Telehealth Appointments Continue Indefinitely?
Through 2021, it’s safe to say that most insurance companies will continue to cover most — if not all — telehealth appointments. Whether or not practices will continue to offer telehealth in the long term remains uncertain. Availability is becoming more limited as offices begin to open again.
Online group therapy, however, was never popular during the pandemic, since they are harder for counselors to monitor and maintain them online. For the patients, the experience online loses part of the human connection. And many of the therapeutic benefits of group therapy, like free flowing conversation, become minimal.
Free online support through Reddit and Facebook Groups will continue, though the quality of support may vary as trained counselors may not be present.
Will Medical Insurance Cover Mental Health Post COVID-19?
Yes! In general, since the Affordable Care Act, most mental health services will continue to be covered by health insurance. There will always be some side costs, like deductibles or prescriptions. But overall, mental health care will continued to be covered.
Mental health insurance will continue to be covered, as per ACA guidelines.
One Final Note
It’s been a tough time for everyone. You are not alone. There is a way out. Help is only a phone call away. Call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 now.
At SuicideCleanup.com, we know the COVID-19 pandemic has brought waves of depression, anxiety, substance abuse and risks of self-harm to our friends and neighbors. We’ve worked with dozens of professionals in the mental health field that continue to fight the mental side of COVID-19 everyday. Take a look at more resources for all kinds of mental health emergencies.
If this article has helped you, please consider sharing it on social media to potentially save lives.
Resources & Further Reading:
The future of telehealth post-COVID-19
Telehealth.hhs.gov: For Providers, Billing for Telehealth During COVID-19
Commonwealthfund.org: The ACA at 10: How has it Impacted Mental Health Care?
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