Substance abuse and mental health insurance claims have spiked over the last decade, more than doubling during that time, said a new report. Moreover, the driving force behind this staggering growth rate is young adults and teens.
The report was published in May by FAIR Health, a nonprofit health care organization. The report showed that rates of anxiety and depression among Americans of all ages have been rising over the last ten years.
This is particularly striking among teens and young adults. In fact, even children are being brought to hospital emergency rooms for psychiatric care on an increasing basis.
Substance abuse and mental health insurance claims include those for issues related to depression and anxiety. That said, they are also going for conditions relating to those mental illnesses such as cutting and other forms of self injury.