Mental Health

Posted on 10/01/2008 at 10:33 am by Bob Cesca

The bailout bill that the Senate is voting on today contains a provision requiring health insurance companies to cover mental illness. I can’t tell you how important — and heretofore overlooked — this issue is.

A close personal friend and his family don’t have health insurance. Why? Because they can’t afford both the premiums AND the cost of the $300-per-month antidepressant one of them requires each month. The plans that actually cover this prescription are too expensive, and the more affordable plans don’t cover any mental health expenses, including and especially prescription drugs.

There’s no difference between mental health meds and any other prescription medication — other than the tragic fact that mental health isn’t considered a “real” health issue like, say, impotence or excessive pissing.

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  • Sharktattoo

    Yes, thank you! I have moderate depression with accompanying extreme anger and wild mood swings. Thankfully my depression is controlled very well with medication, and thankfully I have a great health insurance plan that covers the meds. Unfortunately, mental health is too often ignored, or still considered taboo to discuss. Mental health is just as important as physical health. I feel for anyone who hast to suffer because they cannot afford the prescriptions that will set them right.

  • Alan4s

    Mental health insurance is a serious problem, but forgive me for being blunt. What does it have to do with the current economic situation?A bill that will cost us $700B that is being sold to us as a lifline to avoid the next Great Depression should be discussed and decided upon completely based on it’s own merits. Throwing in other “sweeteners” to effectively buy votes it preposterous, and is exactly how we end up with ridiculous legislation.

  • http://www.clusterdouche.com Elvis Dingeldein

    I’m bipolar*. So I hate this bailout and everything it stands for. Also, I love it and hope it passes.Manic-depression is a bitch.* No, really. I am.

  • J M Ashby

    Does this include veterans? as far as I know the military still fails to take PTSD seriously.

  • Poleezz

    or say like shitting and puking…Bob I just loooooooooooooooooooooooove you man!!!

  • dontpanic23

    I agree that mental health needs to be unscrapped from the pile it was tossed into as a health issue by Ronnie “Put The Word Bag Lady in Dictionary” Reagan. It is, in my opinion, just as important as heart or brain health and is an issue in my family as well as many others’(insured and not). But I am also wondering: What has this to do with the issue at hand. Did I miss some line-up-your-deals deal?

  • ChicagoCindy

    I am personally in the exact same situation as your friend. I spend about $350 a month on prescription pills. And what alternative do I have? NOT taking the medication?

  • http://www.shitheadery.com/blog The Caped Shithæder

    Uhm, understandably this is a serious issue and I can understand how your all affected, but why is it in this bill? Isn’t slipping shit past everyone so they’ll vote on it why we’re in this mess to begin with? Big issues like this should be fought on their own, not slipped in where no one’s looking or cares. Why not a death penalty for pot possession?

  • Mr Furious

    My understanding is that in order to have the Senate take up the bill before the House (a no-no) they had to craft it on the back of existing legislation. They used some dusty healthcare bill off the shelf which is the reason why mental health care parity is one of the unrelated provisions.I don’t know what other crap might (or might not) be wedged in there, but I personally think this particular one is great.

  • FrictionSoul

    Anti-depressants are some of the worst drugs out there. I almost my sister. I lost a good family freind due to one of the side effects that the FDA lists as “suicide, successful”.I’m all for therapy. I’m all for counseling. I’m 100% against prescriptions to treat it. You can treat them nutritionally.I’ll leave it at that. Hit me for more about nutrition.

  • tekwriter

    Hey FrictionSoul – that’s what a good friend of mine thought when he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder – didn’t need meds, he could control his symptoms through the proper nutrition.He’s dead – got killed in a manic rage, walking the winter streets, naked, carrying a gas can to burn down his church. Your theory is BS.Proper therapy, including drugs, is essential to treat those with mental health issues. It’s just like diabetes in many ways – it’s a chemical imbalance that can be controlled. It’s not a character flaw. Health care coverage must include mental health treatment, to a much greater extent that it does now!!