http://www.sptimes.com/2002/05/08/Opinion/Not_treating_mental_i.shtml

Letters to the Editors

Not treating mental illness has high costs

© St. Petersburg Times
published May 8, 2002

Re: Mental health bill is a dilemma by Sara Fritz, April 29.

As a business owner and a psychologist, I understand that the issue of mental health parity is complicated. The costs of providing mental health care would increase the cost of insurance at a time when premiums are already rising 15 percent per year on average. However, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill estimates that the annual cost of untreated mental illness exceeds $300-billion.

The column by Sara Fritz emphasizes increased insurance costs and how some employers may be tempted to eliminate health insurance for employees altogether. This risk is real, as our company had to require an employee contribution toward health insurance premiums for the first time when we renewed our policy this year. However, her column fails to mention that the cost of limiting access to care results in larger general medical expenses and decreased worker productivity. More than 50 percent of patient beds occupied in hospitals are the direct result of emotional problems or behavioral excesses, such as substance abuse. Meanwhile, American businesses lost $29-billion per year due to absenteeism resulting from depression.

As a psychologist, I witness the shock of patients who seek care in the midst of a family crisis only to discover the limitations of their health insurance. autism, Tourette's syndrome and learning disabilities are but a few of the diagnoses that may not be covered by a company health plan. If a condition is covered, most managed care companies limit the number of sessions allowed per year. Patients who suffer from chronic conditions (such as bipolar disorder) may exhaust their annual benefits and then have to discontinue care prematurely. Finally, the higher deductibles and co-insurance associated with mental health services can discourage patients from seeking treatment in the first place.

The other major issue related to mental health parity is the constitutional guarantee of equal opportunity. Most people who need mental health care have a brain disorder. Research breakthroughs have unlocked many of the brain-based mysteries of bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Maintaining a double standard for physical health and mental health constitutes discrimination against individuals with brain disorders.
-- Michael T. Smith, Ph.D., Clearwater

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