Health lobby blocks mental health parity

[Cocoa]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/06/11/mental.health.ap/

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Aided by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, insurance companies successfully have blocked legislation to make them provide equal coverage for mental and physical illnesses if their policies include both.

<snip>
In an April 2002 speech to mental health professionals in New Mexico, Bush said the health insurance system must treat mental illness like any other ailments.

"Americans with mental illness deserve our understanding and they deserve excellent care," Bush said. "They deserve a health care system that treats their illness with the same urgency as a physical illness."

Bush added: "Health plans should not be allowed to apply unfair treatment limitations or financial requirements on mental health benefits."

Officials with the White House and the Health and Human Services Department did not return phone messages, nor did Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tennessee.

more...

[Warpy]

1. Mental illness is chronic illness

and like most other chronic illnesses, it can usually be managed by medication. Alas, that is the thing that all insurance companies have spent the last few decades trying to dodge: insuring anyone with any kind of a chronic health problem. Keeping people alive and healthy enough to work cuts into their profit margins.

That's one of the main reasons the number of uninsured folks in this country is growing, and that number is horribly underreported.

I lost my insurance in 1987 due to a chronic illness. Nobody will hire me as anything but a temp because of my illness (might drive their premiums up). Any private insurance I can qualify for is 150% of what I pay every month on my home mortgage. I am a nurse.

Those are the facts a lot of us are facing. If you want to stay insured, stay young and don't get sick.

[loudsue]

2. This is an OUTRAGE!

The drug companies make BILLIONS AND BILLIONS of dollars every year on drugs for mental health conditions (anti-depressants, drugs for bipolar disorder, anti-anxiety drugs, etc.), and yet the insurance companies aren't going to count mental illness in their coverage?

What in the hell are the insurance companies GOOD for, then? I think there needs to be an insurance company boycott in this country. They're still making millions, by hardly covering anyone for anything.

That's what happens when corporations run the government! The whole "corporations-as-people w/ more rights than the citizens" meme has GOT TO GO!

:kick:

[mom cat]

3. Oh my! Another Bush flip flop! Hope Kerry notices.

[Doctor Smith]

4. I wonder if there are any credible studies that have determined

how much medical costs go up when there are no limits on mental health coverage.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

5. I think that would be a difficult question to quantify credibly, doctor

since there is a physical aspect to many mental illnesses..some manifesting as somatic illness if not treated and some as a result of some physical condition...no?

[livinginphotographs]

8. Exactly!

I wonder how much money is lost due to the somatic side of mental illness, such as lower productivity, alcoholism (and all the dangers that come with that), etc.

[livinginphotographs]

7. I don't think it will increases utilization...

In my experience with the health insurance company I work for, people use it regardless of the benefit, and just pay a hell of a lot more than they should for it. Costs will go up, of course, because we're covering more, but that could be solved by fixing one other thing: direct advertising of prescription drugs.

When you have commercials diagnosing people instead of doctors diagnosing people, many people who could be treated by other, less-expensive means decide, "Hmmm, I'm a little bummed out today, I'm going to get some Zoloft." Then they doctor-shop until they find a doctor who will prescribe it for them, when all they might've need could've been a change in diet, getting more exercise, etc.

People who have true mental illness, though, should by all means get the same coverage as for physical illness. Of course, I don't think anyone at my company will listen to me anytime soon.

[SouthALdem]

6. Good Grief!

Eff them! Like people ASK to be depressed or be afflicted with bipolar or schizophrenia or any other mental illness. You can't bring it on yourself. Here's more of the stigma rearing it's nasty head. Funny they block this legistlation when all of the Republican members need to be treated for mental illness themselves. Shock treatment might work.

Seriously though, I know in Alabama the major insurance company BCBS will only cover 50% of services and 50% of medications for psychiatrict treatment while they will cover at 80% of any other illness or injury related problems. I don't get what the problem is. An illness is an illness regardless of whether it's physical or mental. You don't cause either to yourself.

SOMETHING has got to be done about this. People need help.