Overview In the recent past, the field of behavioral therapy has attracted much attention from researchers who seek to unravel its effectiveness in meeting the needs of the disadvantaged groups. Consequently, most hospitals today are offering behavioral care to persons suffering from mental disorders, chronic illnesses, and those struggling with drug and substance abuse (Kelly, 2012). In the past few decades, the cost of health has increased tremendously, prompting the US government to adopt measures to contain the overheads. However, the reduction of cost must not compromise the quality of the services offered in different hospitals across the country. The adoption o behavioral therapy is in line with the managed care, which stresses the need to offer quality services at a reduced cost. Initially, behavioral treatment was not popular among the healthcare providers. The available insurance plans did not fund such treatment activities. However, following the findings by several researchers that behavioral care results in a better patient outcome and/or reduces the cost of health, more insurance companies are embracing it. Purpose This research paper explores the topic of behavioral therapy with reference to its operation in the United States. The paper commences by examining the perception of the US people about the professionalism of the behavioral therapy field of medicine. Next, the paper explores the difference between behavioral care and the traditional care. The differences between the duo systems are used to explain the reasons why the Medicare and Medicaid may reimburse the two systems differently. Lastly, the paper explores the challenges that behavioral healthcare providers face in the context of managed care. Based on the challenges, the paper gives several recommendations to remedy the situation. People’s Perception of Behavioral Health Services In the recent past, the behavioral medical care has evolved as a preventative and curative strategy for most of the deadliest chronic illnesses. Behavioral care has been linked not only to better patient outcome but also to the reduced cost of health (Covall, 2005). Consequently, most hospitals are embracing behavioral treatments to improve the health of their patients. However, in most hospitals, doctors also assume the role of counseling when treating patients. Therefore, the Behavioral Health Services (BHS) is yet to be recognized as a profession on its own. However, following the emphasis placed on the effectiveness of the behavioral therapy in increasing patients’ outcomes, most medical institutions around the globe have embraced behavioral care courses in their respective institutions. In turn, this move has contributed to the recognition of the Behavioral Health Services as a profession on its own. Additionally, it has led to the emergence of professionals in the field who specialize in the administration of behavioral care in hospital settings. BHS differs from other healthcare services in several aspects. One of the differences between the two revolves around the kind of treatment afforded to the patient. Under the traditional care, professional physicians treat patients using medicines (Kongstvedt, 2012). However, behavioral care targets changing patients’ b