The health care system, and the incentives, aren’t set up for this sort of screening, Dr. Sirott said.
“Currently, I get $6 for screening a patient,” she said. “By the time I put it on a piece of paper and print it, it’s not worth it.”
It’s not clear whether the direct and indirect costs of screening would be worth it to the patients, either. Four other states – Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and West Virginia – have tried mandated screening, and it did not result in more women getting treatment, according to a 2015 study published in Psychiatric Services.
Even with California’s extra requirement that insurance companies facilitate care, women could still face high copays or limits on the number of therapy sessions. Or, a new mother might be so overwhelmed with care for her newborn that it would be difficult to add anything to her busy schedule.