Image courtesy of the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association of Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA – The Association of Rehabilitation and Community Providers of Pennsylvania hosted other behavioral healthcare leaders and business stakeholders – as well as Pennsylvania State Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-PA-132) — for a virtual event this Wednesday, Sept. 28, about the role employer-provided health coverage has played in improving accessibility and quality of care for Pennsylvanians across the state. The group highlighted the value of telehealth services in breaking down barriers to critical care.
Pennsylvania State Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-PA-132) spoke about the importance of providing strong mental health components as an important aspect of employer-provided care. “Leadership is important, especially within the workforce. It counts not only in your words, but also in your actions. This is an opportunity for employers to show real leadership and care, and then know they can make a real difference to recruiting and retaining their employees. It makes good business sense to provide strong mental health care that can reduce healthcare costs. »
Kara Canale, with the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDCadded “Employers in the United States this year will see an average return on investment of 47% from employer-provided health care, according to a new report. study of Avalère’s health. This means that for every dollar spent on employer-provided care, employers recoup $1.47 in financial benefits.
In addition to highlighting the contributions of employer-provided coverage to the state’s healthcare landscape and economy, the roundtable shed light on how telehealth services are contributing to ongoing efforts to reduce stigma and improving access to mental health care.
“One big thing that’s happened is telehealth,” noted Garrett Trout, CEO of TrueNorth Wellness Services. “Telehealth has provided consumers with a great way to access great treatment in a safe environment. With telehealth, what we’ve found is that we have a lot more people who have access to it, whether they’re in severe withdrawal where they can’t get out of
bed to get to an appointment or if they’re feeling good, they’re still checking in, tracking, following up and we’re seeing much better treatment and care outcomes because of it. I
Think, whether you live in a rural area or in the city, no matter where you are, telehealth is a boon to anyone seeking care and treatment.
“Before the COVID pandemic, 31% of our agencies said they provided telehealth. 99% now do. 75% said it improved access for people in need of services, over 90% of patients and practitioners reported a good experience using telehealth, more than half said it reduced the time from initial referral to first appointment, which is really good at getting people engaged and 99% said this should continue as a viable reimbursable service in the future.” remarked Richard Edley, RCPA President.
About the RCAP:
The Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association of Pennsylvania represents health and social service providers committed to effective, efficient, and high-quality care. For more information, visit our website here: https://www.paproviders.org/
Information provided to TVL by:
Courtney Accurti
Director | Advocacy for Media and Ceisler Issues
