A Great Day For People With Mental Illness
This morning, the New York Times reported that “after more than a decade of struggle” the US House of Representatives passed a bill requiring most “group health plans” to provide better coverage for the treatment of mental illness.
This is an issue close to my heart, as I worked for many years on public education programs designed to reduce the stigma associated with depression and other mental illnesses. A big part of the problem was that most insurance companies do not provide adequate benefits. For example, people often wind up paying for very expensive “talk therapy” sessions out-of-pocket. This was a tremendous problem for those with dangerous and debilitating mental illnesses who need more intensive treatment. We know that drug and therapy sessions are the most effective ways to help people with a mental disorder.
Of course, there is always the issue of cost and what illnesses will be covered. The often controversial Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lists numerous conditions as psychiatric illnesses. I’m not a supporter of covering every one, or even most. However, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, acute anxiety and other major disorders should be covered without question. Conditions like jet-lag induced sleep problems should not.
The White House opposes the bill and it still must get through the Senate, so it is unclear whether the law will pass. However, this shouldn’t diminish the fact that this is a great day for people afflicted with mental illness.
