A new Kaiser Health News report finds those suffering from mental health problems, ranging from depression to bipolar disorder, have difficulty finding solutions.The reasons range from a shortage of psychiatrists to health insurance coverage that continues to ignore mental health.
The report noted that more than a quarter of U.S. adults have a diagnosable mental health problem. However, fewer than half of those suffering from such problems get any kind of help. Many either talk to their primary care physicians or go without care altogether, partly because of the difficulty in getting an appointment with a psychiatrist.
A survey conducted for the Tennessee Psychological Association, for example, noted that the average rate to see a psychiatrist for a non-emergency appointment was 54 days for those with private health insurance. The wait went up to 90 days for those covered by TennCare, the state's Medicaid program.
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