Slow Insurance Approvals Strand Mental Health Patients In ER

Circle Connections: Policy & Regulatory Updates A significant problem regarding health care access involves obtaining hospital admission for those experiencing a mental health crisis. The backlog in obtaining insurance approval for admission to a hospital bed is problematic for the patient in crisis, other emergency room patients and physicians. A research letter to be published in the May issue of the journal Annals of Emergency Medicine argues that pre-authorization process is akin to health care "rationing by hassle factor." This was reported by Psych Central on April 25, 2013. Contact information: J.Wesley Boyd, MD, PhD, Senior Author, Founder . . .