New research released last November by Evernorth, Cigna Corporation’s health services business, shows that when people with a diagnosed behavioral condition receive treatment, total health care costs decrease. The analysis revealed that behavioral health treatment in an outpatient setting, leads to fewer emergency department visits and inpatient hospitalizations, decreasing costs by up to $1,377 per person in one year and up to $3,109 per person over two years.
People who have life-long mental health conditions have more opportunities today and less stigma related to mental health. A friend of mine, whose daughter is in high school and has been recommended to be tested for autism told me that her daughter is not ashamed to admit to friends that she may have autism. She said it’s almost “cool” to have a mental health condition; that many of her friends are seeing a therapist. Great strides have been made in the media to take the shame away from behavioral mental health conditions. It seems to be helping, yet there is still a lot of work to be done in the acceptance of mental health conditions.
“Behavioral outpatient care is a vital tool that helps a person explore symptoms that may lead to mental health distress, so they can enact new thought patterns and learn coping skills. These critical skills can help people feel better – and reduce avoidable medical services over time.”
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