Health insurance is something that can cause significant financial burdens for some policy holders, but most are able to justify the costs of monthly pay-outs by feeling secure in the knowledge that if they need medical help, they’ll be able to acquire and afford it. Such security has been diminishing lately, however, as many insurers attempt to cut their own costs by denying coverage to those with preexisting medical conditions or whose cost of care is deemed to become too great. The Los Angeles Times has recently picked up a story along these lines, portraying a young man suffering from mental health difficulties who has recently been cut off from his insurance plan, which reports that his cost of coverage for an array of psychiatric medicines and psychotherapy treatments has become too great.
As scores of Americans face this seemingly impossible issue, the rates of those with mental health concerns relying on therapy and medications to address their issues suddenly finding themselves without the means to pay for treatment is likely to rise. In some cases, sudden lack of access to care can lead to further complications such as an inability to keep one’s job or significant problems in romantic and family relationships, effects which can exacerbate existing symptoms.
While the nation attempts to reorganize its approach to health insurance, many people may be wondering how therapy and other mental health treatments will be affected. For those who have found a manageable answer to their mental health concerns only to cease care upon being dropped by their insurance plan, hopes are likely to rest on greater–and more reliable–coverage.
© Copyright 2009 by By John Smith, therapist in Bellingham, Washington. All Rights Reserved. Permission to publish granted to GoodTherapy.org.
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