Health Insurance Companies Don’t Care About Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders

Some health insurance plans provide coverage for mental health and substance use disorder but not all. How can Georgia’s government help with that issue? One way that the government helped with this issue was The Mental Health Parity Act (HB-49). It requires insurers to treat claims concerning mental and substance use disorders in parity with other Medicaid claims. Although I am grateful that our Georgia representatives adopted this act, but what else can they do?

Have you ever heard the saying “A great mind comes with a great soul”? Me neither but according to the World Health Organization (WHO), “mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community”. In general, good mental health means a thriving population. However, mental disorders can impact people’s abilities to realize their potential, cope with stresses, work productively, and make contributions to their communities1. Just like my grandfather, who is currently struggling with a mental illness himself. There are days when he feels depress, stress, and is unable to work like he used to. He is currently struggling with seeking treatment due to his health insurance not being able to cover it.

If all insurers provide the proper coverage for mental health and substance use disorders, then I believe the number of deaths related to these problems will decrease. Mental health disorders can be either temporary or chronic (long-lasting). These conditions cause 14.3% of deaths worldwide, approximately 8 million deaths a year 1. According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC), “It was estimated that 75,500 overdose deaths occurred in the 12-month period between March 2019 and March 2020, which is an increase of approximately 10% 2. According to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Georgia, “mental health and substance use disorders are one of the leading causes of deaths in the U.S.

Mental health and substance use disorders is no joke and unfortunately it cannot be cured. However, they can be treated effectively to minimize the symptoms. Medications and psychotherapy are often used to treat mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Even though most health insurance cover medication, but for psychotherapy you have to meet a certain criterion for them to provide coverage for it. It is already difficult enough for people with mental health and substance use disorders to want to seek help, and with these criteria’s insurers makes it more difficult for people to afford the treatment when they do seek it. Studies shows that two-thirds of all young people and adults with mental health problems are not receiving the help they need 3. If mental health issues are not being treated, severe deficits will increase later in life. Mental illness harms a person’s way of living, and if left untreated it can result into death.

Because health insurance companies have such a difficult criterion for their customers to meet enable for them to cover a certain treatment, I believe this is where the government can play a role in improving this issue. The Mental Health Parity is a great start from the government, but I believe they can rephrase it a little bit. In the act they need to include and specify the types of treatments that insurers need to cover so that everyone can be seek help. This can efficiently mandate insurers to provide coverage to any and all types of treatments for mental health and substance use disorders. As a community we can play a role as well to make sure the government fix this issue. This can be done by advocating for a better or revised mandate regarding mental health and substance use disorders.

Works Cited Page:

1. Insel, Thomas. “Post by Former NIMH Director Thomas Insel: Mortality and Mental Disorders.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 24 Feb. 2015, www.nimh.nih.gov/about/directors/thomas-insel/blog/2015/mortality-and-mental-disorders.shtml.

2. “Learn About Mental Health — Mental Health — CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 Jan. 2018, www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm.

3. (US), National Institutes of Health. “Information about Mental Illness and the Brain.” NIH Curriculum Supplement Series [Internet]., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Jan. 1970, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20369/.