More than a half-million adults who said they wanted help with their serious mental conditions last year couldn’t get it because they lacked the resources and weren’t eligible for Medicaid to pay for treatment, a new study finds.
Those people — an estimated 568,886 adults ages 18 through 64 diagnosed with a serious mental illness, serious psychological stress or substance use disorder at the start of last year — lived in 24 states that didn’t expand Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act in 2014, according to a study published this week from the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA).
In contrast, 351,506 adults with those same mental health problems got treatment paid for by Medicaid in the 26 states and the District of Columbia, which did expand coverage of the state-federal health insurance program to eligible adults living on low incomes.
The upshot, said Joel Miller, AMHCA’s executive director, is “the health of hundreds of thousands of people would be improved” if all states provided Medicaid coverage as they were given the option to under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
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15 comments:
Obama needed it, and never got it.
This is obscene!! This country treats its elderly and the people with mental illness like dogs. Even if you HAVE the insurance or money there are no decent psychiatrists in this area anyway. SAD
PO
I have been on an anti-depressant at a certain milligram for years now. It is reasonable to expect that over time this would need to be increased due to your tolerance of the medication being less. For 3 months now my doctor and I have been trying to have the medication increased to the next level; however, my insurance company keeps denying it. It is absolutely ridiculous. Last time I checked they didn't have MD after their names, but apparently they do.
In 2010 I had a serious adverse reaction from a combination of anti-depressants. I had no problem talking to a psychology therapist, but they know little about medication, they are good with one on one conversation, my problem was with the medication itself. So, I waited 6 months for an appointment, only to have it canceled two weeks before my appointment because the psychiatrist left to work over the bridge. So I was again waiting another 2 months for another appointment, only to be called again just two weeks before my appointment and told that the DR had took his practice over the bridge. Now I'm scared to try anything else. You have to completely go over the edge to get any attention. I'd love to loose 40 lbs again, but not like that.
11:21--
I feel your pain. Workers' Comp is a nightmare when they pay their doctors in excess of $400. per visit to write what they say to, which in no way reflects what your injury is! Was told that there was nothing wrong with me & it was a pre-existing condition. What??!
When Sheppard Pratt closing 11 of its 12 locations across the state by the end of June, who will pick up the care for the thousands who need it Maryland? What is the plan PRMC????
There are a lot of problems concerning the well being of metal health. I suffered a nervous breakdown after the passing of my father, whom I watched suffer for two years before finally letting go. Within the same 6 months, I lost a pregnancy, my fiance was no longer my fiance because he couldn't deal with my depression and now I was responsible for my ailing mother. I was checked into the psychiatric unit at PRMC which was the biggest joke ever !!!!!!!!!!! They put those suffering a nervous break down with those detoxing, suicidal, and those suffering with schizophrenia, and patients who could not communicate at all. I was there for three days. Seeing a doctor once a day at 6:00 pm, no councelor ever came in to discuss anything with me one on one.
They only had one come in the morning in a group setting and asked if anyone wanted to talk. REALLY? Instead, I layed in bed three days and shut myself out which actually made my depression worse. I feel it to be a tradgedy that this hospital that advertises to be soooo good to not be equipt to handle the different aspects of mental health. My health insurance deductible is so high, I cannot afford to receive the counceling I truly need. Medication is cheaper, however has terrible side effects. It is such a lose lose situation. People need more resources to deal with today's stressful situations. I think it is a shame those sucking off the state get everything for free and hard working people who work a 40 plus hour week cannot get a break with their medical necessities because we have a "job" regardless of our other bills and the high deductible which nedds to be met. There are those of us that are not "pill poppers"!
1233 OMG I freaking hate what this insurance crap has done to this country. Regardless of whether it is a preexisting condition or not, you still have to get better. I'm so sick of the whole mess. I've been on the phone the better part of the day dealing with insurance BS and doctor's offices. What happened to the day when I could go to the doctor and get what I needed when I needed it?? This whole bullshit of referrals, worker's comp, mental health, on and on and on. You go to your doctor for a reason. He writes a prescription for your medication. You go to the pharmacy and get it filled. Period end of discussion. If you need a specialist you call and make an appointment.
Joe...can u post 4:31 as letter to the editor in regards to mental health care concerns...i have always said if I had the resources and knew where to start I would gladly be an advocate. I truly wish I knew how to even began to make this awareness to PRMC to make a change that is so needed.
for those of you say that you can't afford it there is a sliding scale fee at several of the community health clinics in the area
a second possible solution for some of you who cannot afford mental health care to see a therapist or psychiatrist at a commundpriccardity health center; call this number 211 on your phone .it is a national resource hotline and they might be able to give you some information of how to obtain mental health care at a reduced affordable rate.
Oh, one other thing, Joe, that I wish I had known before.
I think it is Wal-Mart and possibly some chain grocery stores (I know other states have these) sometimes have programs that, regardless of your insurance, have certain lifesaving medications in generic form for just a few dollars each. I know some are for high blood pressure, some are for diabetes, etc. Your readers struggling with this might want to call around and find out if any of the local big guys do this.
Best of luck to all.
8:12 p.m., one thing people can do is respectfully write their concerns to these three agencies (got this from PRMC's patients' rights brochure):
To contact us in writing, mail your concerns to:
Peninsula Regional Medical Center
c/o Patient Relations Specialist
100 East Carroll Street
Salisbury, MD 21801
To contact other agencies:
Maryland Department of Mental Health
and Hygiene
Bland Bryant Building
55 Wade Avenue
Catonsville, MD 21228
(877)402-8218 or (410)402-8016
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
(800)994-6610
To 10:56... thank you. At least there is a starting point. I will be contacting them in hopes to see positive changes. No one should be ashamed of their situation and for seeking help. Your mental stability is important. I tried the sliding fee scale however when u first start treatment. .they wanted to see me weekly for the first four months. The cost was as much as my car payment which is very discouraging.
Unfortunately one of the side effects of expanding Medicaid is that Medicaid limits what they will cover. This is already happening in MD with substance abuse treatment. No inpatient treatment... because these folks cost a lot of money to treat.
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