The Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) is studying the availability of providers in various specialties, including behavioral health, and geographic areas. This is an opportunity for behavioral health providers, including drug and alcohol and mental health providers, to share their challenges in finding and employing specialists required by state regulations and payer contracts and the subsequent access issues that result.

The goal of the study is to understand areas of need based on the current availability of providers to accept new patients, the amount of time it takes to get an appointment with these providers, and the network adequacy considerations based on the findings. PID is seeking public comment from organizations, consumer advocates, providers, and consumers about their experience with getting an appointment or finding available specialists.

On behalf of its behavioral health provider members, RCPA is compiling comments to submit to PID, although members who prefer to submit their comments and experience on their own are encouraged to do so. Providers wanting to submit comments as part of an RCPA response can send them to Drug and Alcohol Division Director Jason Snyder. PID will accept comments until Friday, August 5, so please submit your comments to RCPA by Friday, July 29.

More information can be found in PID’s published Notice for Public Comment.