Mental Health Parity: Why it's not a hot political topic

Keep plugging away on this topic Deborah. Mental illness can lead to physical illness or worse, which probably costs the insurance companies more in the long run. We are accustomed in this country to look at the short term, and ignore the long term. We need a "paradigm shift" in our thinking (mostly in the thinking of our so-called wimpy lawmakers who easily bow to lobbyists and money and ignore the people after the election is won). Maybe it's time for another American Revolution that includes taxation with representation, not the same old crooks in position of power.

Here's another issue for those of us with mental illness, at least those of us in Washington State: If you apply for an individual insurance policy (that is, not through an employer), you will not be accepted if you have had ANY mental health care within the past 3 yrs (it may be 5 yrs, I'm not sure). That is medication, therapy session, anything related to mental health care. The way it works is that when you fill out the application that outlines your existing health problems, each problem is assigned a certain number of points. If you have more than the allowed number of points, you cannot be accepted on insurance. Well, any mental health item ALL BY ITSELF is greater than the maximum allowed points!! So NO ONE with mental health issues can be accepted. It is so unbelievably shortsighted, unfair, and discriminatory. For years I paid for all my own care out of pocket rather than have any mental health stuff on my medical records, out of fear of discrimination. Several years ago, I thought those issues were behind us, and began receiving coverage through medical insurance while employed. But when I became self-employed and tried to get insurance individually, I found out how wrong I was...the discrimination is still alive and well.