CALL TO ACTION

We became clinical social workers because we believe in people and the transformational power of the therapeutic relationship. We are committed to meeting clients where they are and advocating for supportive systems. KSCSW urges every member to support the Mental Health Insurance Reform Task Force petition, as the challenges facing our profession affect our clients as well.

WHAT IS HAPPENING

Effective July 15, 2026, Aetna will implement reimbursement changes for providers using the Alma platform that undermine the quality of care we provide:

·  CPT 90837 reimbursed at CPT 90834 rates. The code for individual psychotherapy sessions of 53 minutes or more will be reimbursed at the same rate as CPT 90834, which covers shorter sessions. Time spent with clients is not interchangeable, and this rate change makes in-depth therapeutic work economically unsustainable.

·  Doctoral-level providers reimbursed at master's-level rates, disregarding the value of advanced training, supervised clinical experience, and specialized expertise.

There is increasing concern that Alma and its parent company, Spring Health, are using AI to review private mental health records without clients’ informed consent and without transparency for providers. Confidentiality is fundamental to the therapeutic relationship and essential for effective care.

Mental health providers already receive reimbursement far below what is required under the “Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.” These changes push us further from equity and set a dangerous precedent.

WHY KSCSW IS RESPONDING

Aetna, Alma, and Spring Health practices pose an ethical dilemma for social workers. They compromise professional autonomy, threaten client privacy, and further weaken a system that already fails those most in need. KSCSW exists to support Kentucky clinical social workers in providing high-quality care, which includes advocating when systemic barriers arise.

Link to Petition:

 https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/we-demand-a-system-that-reflects-the-true-value-of-mental-health-care

This is an advocacy issue.  •  This is an ethics issue.  •  This is a Kentucky issue.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING YOU TO DO

1

Sign the petition. Add your name to the Mental Health Insurance Reform Task Force petition. Your signature demonstrates to Aetna, Alma, and Spring Health that the behavioral health community is engaged and will not accept policies that devalue our work or endanger our clients. » actionnetwork.org/petitions/we-demand-a-system-that-reflects-the-true-value-of-mental-health-care

2	Share the petition with colleagues, supervisors, training programs, and allied professionals.  Post it on social media and discuss it within your practice, agency, and community. Every signature strengthens our collective voice.

3	Discuss these concerns in your professional spaces,  including supervision, peer consultation groups, and team meetings. Our field advances through open dialogue. Let Kentucky clinical social workers be recognized among those who took action.

4	Stay connected with KSCSW.  Our advocacy committee is continuously monitoring this situation and working with national partners. Watch your inbox and follow us on social media for updates, action alerts, and ways to engage.

Sign.  Share.  Stand with us.

The Kentucky Society for Clinical Social Work  |  www.kscsw.org