Leveraging research for health insurance coverage of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: insights from policy makers, patients and practitioners.
Evidence & policy : a journal of research, debate and practice April 4, 2025 Ariana M Albanese, Hannah E Frank, Margaret E Crane et al.
Health insurers in the United States typically do not cover Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a well-studied treatment. To understand how research can support coverage, researchers interviewed key informants—policy makers, health insurers, healthcare administrators, clinicians, MBSR students/patients, and teachers—about barriers and facilitators to coverage, how they use research, and which outcomes matter most. Perspectives aligned across those with and without direct policy influence. Participants wanted information on MBSR's worthiness as a covered treatment (its quality, usability, and financial soundness) and a clearer definition of the service and its coverage. Barriers included billing code creation and use, but MBSR's ability to address mental health in an un-stigmatizing way could facilitate coverage. Research is frequently integrated into decisions, though other factors also weigh in.