Article #2
Eilperin, Juliet. New
mental health, substance abuse insurance rule to be finalized, official says.
(8 November 2013) The Washington Post.
1. Category of problem: Health
2. Level of problem: National
3. The article concerns: The new rule
that will be finalized today to ensure that mental health and substance abuse
patients are treated the same way as any other physical illness by their
insurers. Care and treatment will be covered by insurers just as any other illness
would be.
4. Why is this important to
families/individuals OR how does it affect individuals/families?
a. This will help
individuals and families everywhere. Individuals could struggle or even go
bankrupt from trying to pay off medical bills; this could also hurt families
that are helping support their loved one in this process. Many parents are
unaware of their child’s substance abuse problems; their child
could be hundreds of miles away at college, they could hang out with a good
crowd of people, and even show no signs of substance abuse, it can be hard to
tell. Both substance abuse and mental illness are serious problems that should
be covered by insurers.
5. What are your views on the
issue/policy?
a. I think that
this rule should be finalized and that all patients that fall under these
guidelines should be covered the same as any other patient would. I personally
have had many friends that have abused substances and have had to go to the
hospital or rehab to take care of themselves. Next thing they knew, bills were
coming in and they were not small bills. I’m sure some people
see this in a different light though. Others may see their illness as self
inflicted and that they should not receive the same treatment coverage that
others do. However, I feel that the addiction obviously got out of control;
however the pain is now out of the patients’ control. At certain
stages of recovery, the pain is said to be intolerable and consistent; patients
need help and should receive the same coverage that any other person in pain
would receive. They same goes for the mentally ill; they need treatment and
should not be treated any differently than any other person that is in pain or
needs help. I think that the passing of this policy is a good idea and that
coverage should be the same for all patients in need of treatment.
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