Mental health care policy in the 1990s: discrimination in health care coverage of the seriously mentally ill.

Full Abstract

The severely mentally ill face many roadblocks, not the least of which is discrimination by the government and by insurance companies. The inadequate coverage allowed the severely mentally ill by the insurance industry, Medicare, and Medicaid is often as little as one fifth or less the coverage allowed other serious illnesses. This inequity not only contributes to the terrible stigma of mental illness, but also greatly increases patient suffering and results in needless fatalities--suicides that could have been prevented by properly reimbursed treatment. As the federal government prepares for essential health care cost reform, it is imperative that policy leaders, physicians, and mental health care advocates demand equal treatment under the law for the severely mentally ill. The Equitable Health Care for Severe Mental Illnesses Act of 1992 can provide a model for such action.

Author information

Author/s: Domenici, P V (PV);

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: The Journal of clinical psychiatry (J Clin Psychiatry), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1993-Mar; vol 54 Suppl (issue ) : pp 5-6

Dates: Created 1993/05/14; Completed 1993/05/14; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 8473277, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.