Getting Paid What We're Worth: Reimbursement, the Aetna/Alma Cuts, and the Parity Path Forward for Alabama Psychologists

Workshop Description

Getting Paid What We're Worth: Reimbursement, the Aetna/Alma Cuts, and the Parity Path Forward for Alabama Psychologists

On July 15, 2026, Aetna rate changes took effect for thousands of clinicians billing through Alma — eliminating the extended-session premium and paying doctoral-level providers at master's-level rates. This one-hour presentation uses that case study to examine how psychologist reimbursement actually works: how Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial rates are set, where Alabama stands nationally, and why changes affecting one platform's clinicians signal risk for every psychologist in the state. Attendees will leave with a working understanding of mental health parity law — including what it does and doesn't require — and a practical three-step process for identifying, screening, and filing parity complaints, plus five concrete advocacy actions they can begin this month. 1 CE credit; free of charge.

Learning Objectives

• Describe how Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payers set psychologist reimbursement rates--and where Alabama falls relative to national and Southeaster benchmarks
• Analyze the 2026 Aetna/Alma rate changes and their implications for credential-based rate differentials for Alabama psychologists
• Identify at least 3 concrete advocacy actions Alabama psychologists can take under mental health parity law to influence reimbursement policy

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that APA CE rules require that we only give credit to those who attend the entire workshop. Those arriving more than 15 minutes after the scheduled start time or leaving before the workshop is completed will not receive CE credits and will not be eligible for the 15% premium discount described below.