Nationwide, people with commercial insurance are nine times more likely to see a psychiatrist not in their insurer's network than a medical or surgical specialist.
A report from the Research Triangle Institute found across behavioral health provider types, patients were nearly four times as likely to see an out-of-network behavioral provider than an out-of-network medical provider.
The disparities vary widely by state. In Massachusetts, patients were 42.1 times more likely to seek out-of-network care from psychiatrists than medical or surgical specialists.
Here are the 10 states with the smallest disparities in in-network utilization for psychiatrists:
1. Oklahoma
Out-of-network utilization, medical/surgical specialists: 2.1%
Out-of-network utilization, psychiatrists: 5.1%
Psychiatrist out-of-network utilization compared to medical/surgical: 2.4x greater
2. Michigan
Out-of-network utilization, medical/surgical specialists: 1.2%
Out-of-network utilization, psychiatrists: 2.7%
Psychiatrist out-of-network utilization compared to medical/surgical: 2.3x greater
3. Wyoming
Out-of-network utilization, medical/surgical specialists: 2.9%
Out-of-network utilization, psychiatrists: 6.6%
Psychiatrist out-of-network utilization compared to medical/surgical: 2.3x greater
4. Nebraska
Out-of-network utilization, medical/surgical specialists: 1.6%
Out-of-network utilization, psychiatrists: 3.4%
Psychiatrist out-of-network utilization compared to medical/surgical: 2.2x greater
5. West Virginia
Out-of-network utilization, medical/surgical specialists: 1.3%
Out-of-network utilization, psychiatrists: 2.6%
Psychiatrist out-of-network utilization compared to medical/surgical: 2.1x greater
6. Wisconsin
Out-of-network utilization, medical/surgical specialists: 1.0%
Out-of-network utilization, psychiatrists: 1.9%
Psychiatrist out-of-network utilization compared to medical/surgical: 1.9x greater
7. Arizona
Out-of-network utilization, medical/surgical specialists: 2.2%
Out-of-network utilization, psychiatrists: 4%
Psychiatrist out-of-network utilization compared to medical/surgical: 1.8x greater
8. Alaska
Out-of-network utilization, medical/surgical specialists: 5.3%
Out-of-network utilization, psychiatrists: 8.6%
Psychiatrist out-of-network utilization compared to medical/surgical: 1.6x greater
9. Iowa
Out-of-network utilization, medical/surgical specialists: 34.8%
Out-of-network utilization, psychiatrists: 49.8%
Psychiatrist out-of-network utilization compared to medical/surgical: 1.4x greater
10. Nevada
Out-of-network utilization, medical/surgical specialists: 4.3%
Out-of-network utilization, psychiatrists: 5%
Psychiatrist out-of-network utilization compared to medical/surgical: 1.1x greater