Kaiser’s treatment delays

The state has come down hard on Kaiser Permanente for delays in treatment of mental health patients—again.

In a report released Feb. 24, the state Department of Managed Health Care said some Kaiser patients wait weeks to see therapists of psychiatrists, and also criticized Kaiser for providing their patients with misleading information regarding their mental health coverage, according to the Los Angeles Times. It’s the second time in recent years that California regulators have slammed Kaiser regarding its psychiatric care; in 2013, a survey found four major deficiencies in the HMO’s handling of mental health patients. Kaiser has corrected two of the four areas of concern, state officials said, but still fails to deliver mental health treatment in a timely fashion.

The Oakland-based Kaiser said it has been making a flurry of hires to meet demand for mental health services, increasing its number of therapists by 25 percent since 2011.