Letitia James
New York Attorney General Letitia James has released a report that says most mental health providers listed by New York insurance plans are “ghost” listings, meaning they are inaccurate or inaccessible.
Attorney General James’ office surveyed provider listings of 13 plans and found that 86% of mental health providers were either unreachable, not in-network or not accepting new patients.
James said the report, which follows a series of hearings on mental health conducted by her office in New York City and Buffalo, confirms parent and provider testimony that health insurance companies are failing to provide adequate mental health coverage amid a worsening mental health crisis.
New York and federal law requires health plans maintain accurate mental health directories. Ghost networks also suggest violations of laws requiring health plans to maintain adequate provider networks and cover mental health treatment at the same level as physical health.
The New York Health Plan Association released a statement after the report’s release Thursday, saying that accessible mental health care is a problem nationwide — exacerbated by workforce shortages — and that insurers are committed to working with New York legislative leaders “on policy solutions to increase access.”
Some recommendations that the Office of the Attorney General has given include that the Office of Mental Health and the Department of Financial Services should actively and frequently monitor health insurance networks.
The OAG also recommends creating health plans that will collect and report information about whether network providers are providing care, are required to meet cultural competence and language access standards and have a plan that can attract and retain more mental health providers.
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