Photo by Sarah Blesener for ProPublica.
This story contains graphic descriptions of suicide attempts. If you or someone you know needs support now, call, text or chat the 988 Lifeline.
Series: America’s Mental Barrier: How Insurers Interfere With Mental Health Care
More in this series
Reporting Highlights
- Payments Denied: After a North Carolina man attempted suicide twice, his wife sought coverage for his mental health treatment. His insurance carrier refused to pay for his care.
- Third-Party Reviews: Patients can appeal denials and even ask for additional review by independent physicians. But less than 1 in 10,000 patients eligible for those reviews seek them.
- Medical Necessity: Decisions made by those independent reviewers often turn on the issue of “medical necessity.” Reviewers’ decisions are binding and insurers must abide by them.
These highlights were written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.
The email took Dr. Neal Goldenberg of Cleveland, Ohio by surprise in a way that few things still do…