The COVID-19 pandemic brought major disruption to people across the globe. Interestingly, it also brought changes to the mental and behavioral health landscape, some negative and—in an indirect way—some positive. While the pandemic has significantly increased the incidence and prevalence of mental health problems, it has also caused regulators, providers and payers to focus more sharply on mental health issues. The question is, will that additional focus stay with us long-term…or will it fade into memory as the pandemic recedes?
In this paper, we take stock of COVID’s impact on mental health and review how payers and other key stakeholders in the US have adjusted. We also speculate about how enduring the new landscape will be.
