According to a co-author of the research and associate director of KFF’s Program on the Health Care Marketplace, Matthew Rae, many employers had mental health programs and benefits in place before the pandemic, but many were still ill-prepared for the spike in mental health requirements during the pandemic. They seemed to be “It really felt like they were scrambling to figure out all of the options they had, what things they could be bringing in as part of their wellness program that would be useful,” Rae says.

As a result, the level of cost-cutting measures that corporations are taking varies. KFF’s annual study found that nearly a third of organizations with more than 50 employees expanded the manner in which their employees may receive mental health treatments, including telehealth access.

Only 4% of firms polled actually waived or reduced cost-sharing for mental health care, and only 3% raised coverage for out-of-network providers, according to the report. Employers in the study increased the number of mental health and drug abuse providers deemed in-network by about 6% of those questioned.

It is necessary to expand provider networks and to increase out-of-network coverage in order to make mental health and substance abuse services more accessible. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) data shows that just one in ten mental health patients does not have access to an in-network medical professional.

“The number of mental health providers in the United States is quite limited. Rae describes them as “extremely difficult to navigate.” Mental health therapies can be challenging to find in-network providers, he says. Many Americans used telehealth benefits for their mental health needs during the pandemic, but many people still had to go out-of-network for mental health services, even if telemedicine is a part of the answer. It’s at this point that Rae explains, “That’s when you really get hit hard with cost,” “Households face a significant financial challenge when they are saddled with large bills that have no ceiling.”

Mental health resources for employees are more vital than ever, with 12 percent of all employers reporting an increase in employee enrolment. Companies with more than 5,000 employees witnessed an increase in the use of mental health services by nearly half (46%) since the outbreak began.

Anxiety and despair are clinically quantifiable mental health symptoms in about two-thirds of employees, according to the SilverCloud Health’s 2021 Employee Mental Health and Wellbeing Checkup, a poll of more than 2,000 working Americans.

Moreover, many workers want their employers to do more to reduce the mental health challenges they face at work. According to a study of 3,000 full-time workers performed by Calm for Business, Calm’s employer arm, nearly 40% of workers say their employer hasn’t done enough to assist their mental health during the pandemic.

Even in terms of recruiting and maintaining employees, mental health benefits may start to become an advantage. Calm’s survey indicated that 76% of workers regard mental health benefits to be crucial when evaluating new employment opportunities.