Comments on: Mental Health Spending - A Low Priority for Government

By: parityfanatic

parityfanatic — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 21:24:00 +0000

Normally a person would be 65 or over to enroll in Medicare Parts A&B.
However,An individual who qualifys for Social Security Disability (SSDI) after collecting that benefit for 24 months would be enrolled in Medicare. SSDI requires 5 months of total disability expected to be disabled for a year or longer & unable to do any substantial gainful activity to qualify for the monthly benefit.
Someone with a Serious mental illness who had worked prior to the onset of the disability should eventually qualify for SSDI. In other words, we do have millions of disabled people under 65 who eventually qualify for Medicare. A Medigap would definitely help these seriously ill Americans.
I am not suggesting that Medicare helps young people with manageable mental illness.
A great idea would be to expand Medicare to people under 65. We need real coverage for All americans & the private sector runs away from the mentally ill.
Someday the USA will have a national Health Ins program for all.
Just don’t hold your breath waiting!

By: Elise Stobbe

Elise Stobbe — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 14:35:00 +0000

Most SENIORS purchase a Medigap plan for mental health coverage to pay the other 50% of outpatient psychiatric visits, but the majority of mentally ill are not over 65 and my understanding is that Medigap plans are not offered to the under 65 crowd? Correct me if I’m wrong. Also, many severely mentally ill are not working and cannot afford Medigap coverage.

By: parityfanatic

parityfanatic — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 02:23:00 +0000

Many people are confused regarding Medicare Coverage.
Psychiatric Hospital admissions in the Psychiatric Department of a General Hospital ARE treated identically to all other illness or accident admissions.
A 190 day lifetime Hospital Psychiatric admissions limit does exist but only to a Pure Psychiatric Hospital. Most people do not get Psychiatric care from a Hospital that only treats Mental illness.
As for Doctor care (Part B)
In-patient Psychiatric fees are paid at 80% of approved amounts.
The discrimination occurs regarding outpatient psychiatric care fees, Medicare Part B pays at 50% of approved amounts.
Outpatient physician fees for OTHER illness is paid at 80% of approved fee. This should be 80% for outpatient Psychiatric as well.
Medicare is still superior to most private sector plans.
Most Medicare enrollees purchase a Medigap plan. Most Medigap plans pick up the 50% not covered by Medicare B for outpatient Psychiatric fees.
Don’t forget the current $952.00 Part A deductible per benefit period & the 124.00 Annual Part B deductible.

By: Daniel Haszard

Daniel Haszard — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 21:09:00 +0000

Well said,i applaud your blog,mental health consumers are the least capable of self advocacy,my doctors made me take zyprexa for 4 years which was ineffective for my symptoms.I now have a victims support page against Eli Lilly for it’s Zyprexa product causing my diabetes.–Daniel Haszard http://www.zyprexa-victims.com

By: Elise Stobbe

Elise Stobbe — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 21:27:00 +0000

Well said! Isn’t Medicare under the federal umbrella? Why doesn’t it have parity?

By: ParityFanatic

ParityFanatic — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:24:00 +0000

I can not easily accept the fact that 8.5 million Federal employees have full mental Health parity in THEIR Health Ins. program since 2001 & no one in Congress has the Poltical will to force a vote on mandating parity in the private sector for groups of 50 or more.
This is another example of the Haves & Have not mentality in this country.
The only thing that counts to our Representatives is the next political contribution from the next special interest.
If mental Health parity is good enough for our Government employees, it should be good enough for we private sector patsies.