MARICOPA, AZ (AZFamily) \u2014 Arizona mental health therapists say they may have to cut ties with one of the state\u2019s largest insurance providers or close their practices altogether.<\/p>\n
All because Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona<\/a> is enforcing new supervision requirements<\/a> and dozens of counselors say the new rules are impossible to follow while also providing quality care.<\/p>\n Counselors say this is already causing major ripple effects, including longer wait lists, fewer providers willing to accept Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, and fewer people in need reaching out for help because they can\u2019t afford to pay out of pocket.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are in this to help and we are being terrified of losing our own livelihoods,\u201d said Brianna Reinhold, founder of Northern Lights Therapy. <\/a>\u201cIt hits my heart. I don\u2019t want to cause all these people to lose the care that they desperately need.\u201d<\/p>\n Parents of teenage patients like Nicole Perkins are also fearful.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s gonna make me teary-eyed,\u201d said Perkins.<\/p>\n At Northern Lights Therapy, Reinhold is a clinical supervisor who oversees more than 10 licensed associates who earned master\u2019s degrees and passed licensing exams, qualifying them to treat patients.<\/p>\n But starting this month, AZ Blue began requiring supervisors to handle the patient intake process and set up a treatment plan before an associate can take over.<\/p>\n \u201cI am back to essentially being an intake specialist with almost 15 years of experience clicking boxes because they\u2019re saying that the licensed associates are not qualified,\u201d said Reinhold. \u201cI can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve actually had my associates call me crying.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, supervisors must also be readily available to step in virtually in real-time throughout all future appointments.<\/p>\n Reinhold doesn\u2019t know how she can do that and balance her own case load.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve already had to cancel sessions of my own to just schedule the intakes that were already prescheduled because we didn\u2019t want to cancel on those clients,\u201d said Reinhold.<\/p>\n For Reinhold, this may mean canceling her contract with the major insurance company, which would force patients to find a new in-network therapist or pay out of pocket.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d say 60-75% of our practice is through Blue Cross clients so to say that it would be a hit is an understatement,\u201d said Reinhold.<\/p>\n \u201cFor us, out of pocket wouldn\u2019t be an option. You know, we don\u2019t have extra money to do that,\u201d said Perkins.<\/p>\n Concern is growing. Reinhold and Perkins say Northern Lights Therapy is one of only a handful of options for mental health care in Pinal County.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re like a resource island out here,\u201d said Perkins. \u201cThe biggest fear is losing quality of care and losing care altogether.\u201d<\/p>\n Reinhold and Perkins say having one therapist during the first appointment and another the next time creates unnecessary trauma for vulnerable people looking for someone to trust so they can heal.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the last few years, AZ Blue has added access to more than 4,000 mental health providers. We are fully supportive of our members getting the care they need.<\/p>\n This process ensures that members first connect with a qualified provider (eligible to be credentialed with AZ Blue) before getting assigned to another care provider in the office. It is in sync with CMS. The goal is to balance timely access to behavioral health services with safeguards that support patient safety.<\/p>\n We have been talking with providers, and their feedback is always welcome and appreciated.”<\/p>\n See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it<\/a>.<\/p>\n