Third-party payers: to pay or not to pay

Abstract

Insurance companies have traditionally been wary of providing coverage for mental illness for two reasons: 1) they fear that people would bring a mental illness on themselves or would use treatment for self-actualization, and 2) they fear the risk of providing never-ending treatment for "incurable" illness. The author states that the insurers' fears are groundless but suggests that psychiatrists research the utilization and costs of their treatments in insurance plans collaboratively with the actuaries who determine policy and premiums. Retrospective and prospective criteria for outcome and effectiveness of psychiatric treatment must be developed and applied.