Insurance Coverage and the Treatment of Mental Illness
Throughout the campaign, there has been an ongoing
legislative debate on the question as to whether or not insurance
companies and health maintenance organization doing business in
Massachusetts or insuring people working in Massachusetts should
continue to be allowed to provide coverage for mental illness under
terms and conditions which are very different from the coverage
provided for other medical illness.
Respondents to the survey indicated that providing
more information about mental illness in the media and changing
insurance policies to make treatment more available would be the
most effective ways to encourage people to seek treatment.
 One
of the hopes of Changing Minds was that by raising awareness of
mental illness and the effectiveness of treatment among the general
public, the media, and public policy makers, this long standing
discriminatory health insurance practice in Massachusetts would
end. During the past twelve months, both the Massachusetts House
and Senate have unanimously passed legislation (albeit in different
forms), which seeks to end this disparity in treatment. The issue
is now before a joint conference committee, and it is unclear whether
or not compromise legislation will be enacted this year.
It is nevertheless remarkable that for the first
time in the many years this issue has been debated, the entire Legislative
Branch, as well as the Executive Branch through Governor Cellucci's
Press Conference of May 18, 1998 have expressed the unanimous view
that disparity in insurance treatment should end. While this has
resulted from the actions of many, not the least of which was the
forceful advocacy of Commissioner Sudders, we like to think the
Changing Minds campaign helped to create an atmosphere where issues
surrounding the treatment of mental illness could be debated and
decided in an atmosphere of understanding and tolerance.
"There is no reason why most people
with mental illness cannot be employed, or become one of the most
loyal, productive and responsible workers in the company smart enough
to hire them."
Joseph T. Coyle, M.D.
Chairman of the Consolidated
Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School
About MAMH
The Massachusetts Association for Mental
Health, Inc. is a private, nonprofit, citizens based organization
established in 1913 for advocacy and educational purposes.
It is a tax exempt Section 501 (c) (3) organization. Since 1913, MAMH has directed its activities towards the successful development of community based housing, education, health care, and mental health services for children, adolescents, adults and seniors.
MAMH Mission
To promote and advance community based housing, education, health care, employment and treatment for children, adolescents and adults with mental illnesses or emotional disorders. To increase knowledge about mental illnesses and the effectiveness of treatment through educational outreach to the public at large or to specific segments, and to promote healthy life styles and behavior through preventative services and programs directed at children and adolescents.
For more information about Changing
Minds, please call (617) 742-7452 or write to:
Changing Minds
c/o MAMH
130 Bowdoin Street, Ste 309
Boston, MA 02108 |
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