It is easy to complain about a problem, but it is an entirely different matter to propose a better alternative.

Complaints about health care policy, insurance, managed care, and medical parity are commonplace.

But if you could start from scratch in the development of a third-party reimbursement system for psychotherapy, what would it look like? What restrictions would it carry on covered disorders? Would only certain professionals be eligible for payments?

Would there be limits on the length of treatment or on the total number or frequency of sessions? Would only certain kinds of treatment be permitted? How would this insurance compare to other kinds of medical insurance?

Would there be any built-in system of accountability? Would scientific studies of psychotherapies constrain care in any way?