Health Benefit Parity for Addiction & Mental Health Treatment
Target:
United States Senate & Assembly Healthcare Comittees
Sponsored by:
As the debate over healthcare in the United States continues to heat up, it is important to remember that most insurance plans do not adequately cover the necessary treatment for Addictions or Mental Illness. These benefits are typically separated from other medical benefits in healthcare policies and are severely limited either in terms of treatment options or dollar limits. While most medical treatment is guided by various medical associations and societies, insurers refuse to use treatment guidelines put forth by the American Society of Addiction Medicine or the American Psychiatric Association. Kaiser Permanente studies as well as studies by the Center for Alcoholism and Substance Abuse at Columbia University have shown that parity actually saves healthcare dollars and the cost of consequential damages to businesses and families.
As the debate over healthcare in the United States continues to heat up, it is important to remember that most insurance plans do not adequately cover the necessary treatment for Addictions or Mental Illness. These benefits are typically separated from other medical benefits in healthcare policies and are severely limited either in terms of treatment options or dollar limits. While most medical treatment is guided by various medical associations and societies, insurers refuse to use treatment guidelines put forth by the American Society of Addiction Medicine or the American Psychiatric Association. Kaiser Permanente studies as well as studies by the Center for Alcoholism and Substance Abuse at Columbia University have shown that parity actually saves healthcare dollars and the cost of consequential damages to businesses and families.
We the undersigned request an end to the stigma and discrimination against those in our country who suffer from addictive illness and/or mental illness. We ask that all healthcare policies provide the same level of treatment coverage for these illnesses as is provided for all other illnesses covered by medical insurers. Research has demonstrated that these illnesses are no different then any other chronic medical conditions (such as diabetes and COPD) and in fact they have been shown to have much lower incidents of relapse then any other chronic disorders currently covered by medical insurers.
In short we seek parity in insurance coverage for the treatment of Addictions and Mental Illness. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
In short we seek parity in insurance coverage for the treatment of Addictions and Mental Illness. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
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We signed the "Health Benefit Parity for Addiction & Mental Health Treatment" petition!
# 30:
1:22 am PDT, Oct 13,
Name not displayed, California
# 29:
1:22 am PDT, Oct 13,
Name not displayed, California
# 28:
1:50 am PDT, Oct 7,
Dee C., New York
# 27:
2:57 am PDT, Sep 25,
Simos Tarabatzis, Greece
Do you have a personal story to tell? Please leave comments about your efforts to get or find proper treatment and the limitations you may have found.
Do you have a personal story to tell? Please leave comments about your efforts to get or find proper treatment and the limitations you may have found.
# 26:
3:16 pm PDT, Aug 2,
Audrey McBride, New Jersey
# 25:
12:20 pm PDT, Jul 24,
Beverly Doan, New Jersey
# 24:
10:39 am PDT, Jul 9,
Name not displayed, New Jersey
My neice, who is now 29, was sexually abused at a very young age. For some time, this was suppressed; but when she turned about 15/16, it came out. Her mother and grandmother carry horrible guilts over this because it happened at the babysitter's house. To make things worse, my neice's father was out of the picture and continued to ignore her even after he found out about this. Since her mid-teens, my neice has had problems with drugs and alcohol and has overdosed several times. Every time her Mom tried to find some place for her, she was blocked by the cost of in-patient care. When we did finally get her somewhere, they diagnosed her with bi-polar disorder, after only a few days (not even enough time to properly detox her), gave her some (more) pills and sent her home--the insurance would not pay for longer. To this day, she still has problems with alcohol and pills and has never been able to go anywhere to get a proper diagnosis and finish treatment. She now lives on the other side of the country and our entire family feels helpless to do anything. She is a beautiful, intelligent young woman, with anxieties no one should have. We are all worried and scared for her.
My neice, who is now 29, was sexually abused at a very young age. For some time, this was suppressed; but when she turned about 15/16, it came out. Her mother and grandmother carry horrible guilts over this because it happened at the babysitter's house. To make things worse, my neice's father was out of the picture and continued to ignore her even after he found out about this. Since her mid-teens, my neice has had problems with drugs and alcohol and has overdosed several times. Every time her Mom tried to find some place for her, she was blocked by the cost of in-patient care. When we did finally get her somewhere, they diagnosed her with bi-polar disorder, after only a few days (not even enough time to properly detox her), gave her some (more) pills and sent her home--the insurance would not pay for longer. To this day, she still has problems with alcohol and pills and has never been able to go anywhere to get a proper diagnosis and finish treatment. She now lives on the other side of the country and our entire family feels helpless to do anything. She is a beautiful, intelligent young woman, with anxieties no one should have. We are all worried and scared for her.
# 23:
7:51 am PDT, Jul 8,
Timothy McBride, New Jersey
# 22:
6:18 am PDT, Jul 8,
J.Mikki Estok, New Jersey
# 21:
9:46 am PDT, Jul 7,
Name not displayed, New Jersey
Depression is the number one cause of loss of worker productivity. Let's get this bill passed and have equality for mental illness treatment!
Depression is the number one cause of loss of worker productivity. Let's get this bill passed and have equality for mental illness treatment!
# 20:
7:02 am PDT, Jul 7,
Joni Kent, New Jersey
# 19:
6:48 am PDT, Jul 7,
Phyllis Garr, New Jersey
# 18:
6:33 am PDT, Jul 7,
Name not displayed, New Jersey
I've had family members suffer from mental and emotional illness. We are fortunate to have coverage but know that had we not, care would be very expensive and hard to obtain.
I've had family members suffer from mental and emotional illness. We are fortunate to have coverage but know that had we not, care would be very expensive and hard to obtain.
# 17:
6:04 am PDT, Jul 7,
William Velez, New Jersey
# 16:
4:26 am PDT, Jul 7,
Lauren Riordan, New Jersey
# 15:
8:37 am PDT, Jul 6,
Michelle Weber, New Jersey
# 14:
6:26 am PDT, Jul 6,
Name not displayed, New Jersey
# 13:
2:35 am PDT, Jul 6,
Susan MacLaury, New Jersey
As a university health education professor who teaches a course called Drug Use and Abuse, I encounter students every semester who either themselves need drug treatment or have friends or family who do. The most we can offer is one semester of free, once weekly treatment on campus, and while a number of students avail them of this, it's rarely sufficient to meet their needs. There are literally thousands of NJ residents battling addiction who are either on waiting lists for treatment they can afford or who can't even apply for lack of coverage. They need legislative help, especially as more and more, addiction is realized to be a disease.
As a university health education professor who teaches a course called Drug Use and Abuse, I encounter students every semester who either themselves need drug treatment or have friends or family who do. The most we can offer is one semester of free, once weekly treatment on campus, and while a number of students avail them of this, it's rarely sufficient to meet their needs. There are literally thousands of NJ residents battling addiction who are either on waiting lists for treatment they can afford or who can't even apply for lack of coverage. They need legislative help, especially as more and more, addiction is realized to be a disease.
# 12:
9:27 pm PDT, Jul 5,
Sara Signoretta, New Jersey
# 11:
3:47 pm PDT, Jul 5,
Marianne MHall, New Jersey
# 10:
5:35 pm PDT, Mar 26,
Mary Neal, Georgia
Homelessness, jail, and death for mentally ill Americans! See what was done to my brother at http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com. Beware of The Johnny Cochran Firm.
Homelessness, jail, and death for mentally ill Americans! See what was done to my brother at http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com. Beware of The Johnny Cochran Firm.
# 9:
10:23 am PST, Feb 18,
Karyn Keyes, California
# 8:
3:22 am PST, Feb 18,
INGRID PEETERS, Spain
# 7:
8:13 pm PST, Feb 17,
Sarah Panullo, Pennsylvania
# 6:
1:41 pm PST, Feb 17,
Cheri Spellman, New Jersey
This one goes directly to the bottom line - so understanding it should be easy. Lost productivity - lost jobs - lost wages - welfare. So many in this position are forced into being homeless and jobless and then we pay anyway though Medicare, Medicade, and Charity care. Come on Wake Up
This one goes directly to the bottom line - so understanding it should be easy. Lost productivity - lost jobs - lost wages - welfare. So many in this position are forced into being homeless and jobless and then we pay anyway though Medicare, Medicade, and Charity care. Come on Wake Up
# 5:
1:41 pm PST, Feb 17,
JOCELYNE ANNIE STROKOWSKI, Canada
# 4:
1:27 pm PST, Feb 17,
Robert Redmon, Ohio
# 3:
1:13 pm PST, Feb 17,
Sidney Toups, North Carolina
# 2:
6:26 am PST, Feb 9,
Cliff Koblin, New Jersey
# 1:
4:21 pm PST, Feb 7,
Greg McBride, New Jersey
Everyday I see people trying to get treatment only to discover they don't have the coverage they thought they had when they signed up for their healthcare insurance. Every kind of story from unnecessary relapses to deaths. It is time to step into the 21st century and help these individuals.
Everyday I see people trying to get treatment only to discover they don't have the coverage they thought they had when they signed up for their healthcare insurance. Every kind of story from unnecessary relapses to deaths. It is time to step into the 21st century and help these individuals.
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