Health insurer Aetna expanded its partnership with Inpathy, an online behavioral health service, to provide members in 11 states access to the service in-network.
The expansion makes the telehealth service available in-network with Aetna in Illinois, Texas and Florida. Inpathy and Aetna have worked together since 2016, and prior to the expansion of their partnership, Inpathy was covered for Aetna members in eight states: California, Colorado, Delaware, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
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The service connects people with licensed therapists and psychiatrists via online video sessions.
“Telemedicine continues to be an important option to help members access outpatient mental health and substance use disorder services,” an Aetna spokesperson said via email. “Now members in remote locations, or those who may be unable to visit a provider due to a busy schedule or safety concerns, will have expanded access to providers to improve their mental and emotional health.”
Convenient access to virtual care visits for mental health issues is especially important amid the Covid-19 pandemic, as during this time, rising levels of anxiety and stress have clashed with a reluctance to receive in-person care.
“Telebehavioral health allows insurers to meet the growing mental health needs of their members who may be experiencing additional stress and anxiety caused by prolonged social isolation, social unrest, financial uncertainty and concerns about the spread of Covid-19,” an Inpathy spokesperson said in an email. “Prior to Covid-19, nearly one in five U.S. adults experienced mental illness. Since the pandemic started, that number has increased to nearly one in three.”
In August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data showing nearly 41% of U.S. adults, polled in June, reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition. In addition, about 31% said they experienced anxiety or depression symptoms, and 13% said they started or increased substance use to cope with stress related to Covid-19.
Providers rapidly deployed telehealth services to meet the rise in demand for mental healthcare, and payers expanded coverage policies. Though many insurers, including Aetna, have rolled back the extensive coverage for telehealth they were offering a few months ago, the Hartford, Connecticut-based payer has committed to waiving some cost-sharing policies through the end of the year. These include cost-sharing for Aetna commercial plan members receiving outpatient counseling services via telehealth and for Medicare Advantage plan members seeking virtual visits in-network, according to America’s Health Insurance Plans.
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