Paying for mental health care in Florida can be costly with or without insurance.
For example, therapy for mental health concerns like anxiety or depression can cost up to $200 dollars per session and last up to 12 weeks, according to Marni Stahlman, president and CEO of the Mental Health Association of Central Florida.
“However, for people that are suffering from chronic mental illnesses, like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, (or) schizoaffective disorder, it can range into the tens of thousands for treatment costs because it often requires an inpatient hospitalization to help stabilize somebody because they may be experiencing a crisis,” said Stahlman.
Treatment costs vary depending on insurance coverage, but in 2023 more than 2 million Floridians were uninsured.
Stahlman said an inability to access care can cause problems not only for the individual, but also for the local economy as absenteeism costs U.S. businesses $17 billion annually and contributes to low employee engagement.
“Those employees that are experiencing some type of a mental health crisis or impact into their mental health and well-being that is causing them to have a reduced morale and an ability to complete tasks and be productive,” she said. “Numbers that I've seen from Gallup estimate low engagement costs here in the global economy account for almost $8.8 trillion.”
In addition, Stahlman said, “Then we have those employees that are having long-term issues that have to move away from work, and the recruitment of those positions and the health care costs related to bringing those people on are extremely high, and sometimes we underestimate that.”
Employees with untreated depression can cost a company $9,450 per employee annually, according to Kaiser Permanente.
Stahlman said those costs can drive up premiums for employers at renewal time.
Along with higher costs due to absenteeism and low engagement, Stahlman said a lack of mental health providers is driving up costs.
“It's not just here in Central Florida, it's across the country. We saw during COVID a higher increase of people coming out of it experiencing isolation, crises, depression, anxiety. But we also saw an exiting of quite a number of medical professionals, and they haven't been replaced,” she said.
Stahlman said cost for mental health care has been steadily increasing.
Stacking up
The price for care in Florida is on par with the rest of the country, according to Stahlman.
However, Mental Health America reports Florida ranks 40th nationally when it comes to accessing care.
“We rank in the bottom 5% of other states in terms of the per person capita that we allocate,” said Stahlman.
But, she said, there’s hope as the Florida Chamber of Commerce has focused on mental health as a top priority for workplace well-being.
“And how to embrace the fact that if Florida wants to remain a leader in recruiting businesses and having a good business environment, we also create cultures of wellness within our business communities and our work spaces. And so there's been investments there, so it's encouraging, but we're still way behind,” she said.
Getting help in Central Florida
Individuals without health insurance looking for assistance can receive services through Orange County’s Primary Care Access Network, or PCAN, which the Mental Health Association of Central Florida is part of.
“We operate a clinic in downtown Orlando that is absolutely free. The criteria is you not have health insurance and that you be at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline, which can be up to about $95,000 for a family of four's total income,” said Stahlman.
She said the clinic isn’t exclusively for Orange County residents, as access to care in surrounding counties is not as robust.
“Part of what we work to (do) is to extend the reach and make sure that our boundaries here at the Mental Health Association are not specific just Orange County residents. We really will see anybody from any part of our state,” she said. “And during COVID, when we were working virtually, we were seeing clients that were as far away as England.”
In addition to finding help through PCAN, people without insurance can visit Peer Support Space in Orlando, which offers daily gatherings free of charge.
“The reality is, a lot of us are living paycheck to paycheck, so having to choose between our basic needs and something that's so stigmatized, like mental health, a lot of times, are kind of taught to put that on the back burner. So when it's also expensive, people are even less likely to reach out or to get connected,” said Yasmin Flasterstein, co-founder of Peer Support Space.
Although seeking care may seem daunting to some, Stahlman said, “the ramifications of not seeking care are twice or three times the cost, emotionally, physically and economically, if you don't.”
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