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Hi Reader,

Have you ever wondered why it can be so hard to find a therapist who takes insurance?

If you need a doctor, you can reasonably expect to find one in your insurance network, call them up and get treated. Not so for mental health care. Even if you’re able to find a rare, in-network therapist or treatment center, you can still face battles with insurers unwilling to cover the treatment you or your loved one needs. For most of us, the inner workings of health insurers are a black box: Requests to cover treatment go in, and approvals or rejections are spit out. But our newsroom is trying to shine a light through that box and reveal the harms perpetrated in darkness.

Over the past year, ProPublica’s “America’s Mental Barrier <[link removed]>” series has been exposing a vast underlying crisis of access, one not being adequately addressed by the government, the courts or anyone else in power. With help from thousands of crowdsourced tips, explosive internal company documents and shattering personal stories of patients for whom care was prematurely cut off, our reporters are revealing how insurance companies interfere with access to mental health care. And how people in pain are paying the price.

Our reporters found insurers:

Employing aggressive tactics that push therapists out of network <[link removed]>.

Deploying an algorithmic system to limit coverage <[link removed]>.

Creating ghost networks <[link removed]> that mislead patients about provider access.

Cutting access to treatment for children with autism <[link removed]>.

Relying on doctors whose judgments have been criticized by courts <[link removed]>.

Using patients’ progress to justify denials <[link removed]>.

This reporting has reverberated through professional associations and state board meetings, and it is inspiring regulators to intervene <[link removed]>. A January federal report found widespread noncompliance and violations of federal law <[link removed]> in how health plans and insurers cover mental health care, echoing our findings. One particularly heartwrenching story was turned into a radio play <[link removed]>, performed by Oscar Isaac, Kathryn Erbe and Bill Camp, with the hope of inspiring a public conversation about the challenges many Americans face accessing mental health care when they need it most. Bringing this crisis to light is critical, not only for giving a voice to those suffering in silence and reducing stigma, but also for driving meaningful action that leads to lasting change. “America’s Mental Barrier” was also named a 2025 Pulitzer finalist for explanatory reporting. (UnitedHealthcare, Cigna and Blue Cross and Blue Shield did not respond to requests for comment but in the past have said they employ licensed physicians to conduct reviews and work to ensure the doctors issue appropriate coverage decisions.)

Investigations like these are time-consuming and expensive. We’re able to produce this kind of journalism because of readers like you. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on donations from individuals for the majority of our funding. Today, I’m asking you to join ProPublica with a donation of any amount. <[link removed]>

Our members’ financial support gives us a dependable source of funding, and that matters for an organization like ours — many of our investigations can take months or even years to fully report. We need folks like you to stand with us.

Give today and stand up for powerful journalism that shines a light on stories that make a real difference. <[link removed]>

Thanks so much,

Tova Genesen <[link removed]>

Proud ProPublican <[link removed]>

Donate to ProPublica <[link removed]>

 

 
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