If Illinois lawmakers have their way, theirs will become the 17th state to mandate better insurance coverage for patients with eating disorders. The legislation has already been passed and is waiting for Governor Rob Blagojevich's signature.

"The cost of treatment, which often requires a team of clinicians, is one of the biggest obstacles to healing.... As with other serious illnesses, early intervention can save victims' lives and insurers' money, before patients end up in the intensive-care unit...."

Critics of these types of mandates have voiced their protests in nearly every state where similar legislation has been passed. They cite inevitable rises in health care premiums as their primary concern. Despite those protests, the mandates are largely viewed as being long overdue. Source: Chicago Tribune

Labels: costs, insurance, treatment

Following in the footsteps of previous states, the Illinois legislature has introduced a bill that would require insurance companies to cover the treatment of eating disorders. Eating disorders are currently not recognized as a serious mental illness, so insurance companies aren't required to cover treatment.

"But that could soon change. A law proposed in the General Assembly would add anorexia and bulimia to the list of serious mental illnesses that must be covered. Insurance companies would be required to cover 45 days of in-patient care and 60 visits of outpatient treatment."

Insurance company spokespeople warn that requiring more coverage could result in higher insurance costs. Source: Chicago Daily Herald

Equine therapy is a great tool for children who are resistant to traditional forms of therapy. Find a good equine assisted psychotherapy program at Animal-AssistedTherapy.com.

Labels: insurance, support, treatment

A lawsuit filed by about 100 New Jersey insurance customers has forced Aetna to agree to change its coverage for eating disorders. It will now cover eating disorders the same way it covers other mental illnesses.

"The company previously allowed 20 outpatient visits per year and 30 days of inpatient treatment...Aetna says it would pay for more care."

The insurance company has also agreed to pay $250,000 to the families involved in the lawsuit. Source: South Jersey Courier Post

Labels: insurance, lawsuite

A federal judge in Newark, New Jersey has ruled that a class-action lawsuit against the Aetna insurance company can proceed. The lawsuit specifically targets Aetna's policy on eating disorders and seeks to force them to improve their benefits coverage.

"The crucial issue... is whether eating disorders are biologically based mental illnesses (BBMI), for which insureds are entitled under contracts and state laws around the country to a higher level of coverage than is provided for purely mental conditions."

At the center of the lawsuit is father Frank De Vito, whose daughter was denied coverage for eating disorder treatment. Aetna called the treatment "not medically necessary." Read more at Law.com.

Labels: health_care, insurance, mental_illness

In North Carolina, mental health-related insurance reform is one step closer to becoming reality. Called the "mental health parity bill", it would require private insurers to cover treatment of psychiatric diseases like eating disorders and schizophrenia. The measure was unanimously passed by the Senate Health Committee on Wednesday and will now be voted on by the full Senate.

"The North Carolina bill is considered a major reform and a step toward ending discrimination against those with psychiatric diseases by mental health providers and advocates."

Coverage for hospital stays and office visits can be limited for most mental health issues except nine that are considered the most serious. Read more at News-Record.com.

Equine therapy programs work well with children who have resisted other forms of therapy. Learn more about equine therapy for troubled teens at AspenRanch.com and TurnAboutRanch.com. Copper Canyon Academy offers equine therapy at their boarding schools for girls.

Labels: insurance, mental_health, treatment

Eating disorder treatment facilities are expensive. Some families pay out-of-pocket, but many can't afford to and turn to their insurance companies for help. Unfortunately, many insurance companies severely limit the amount of coverage they offer. Kitty and Mark Westin know this first hand. They spent a lot of time an effort fighting their insurance agency when their daughter, Anna, was struggling with an eating disorder. In hopes of helping other families in similar situations, they list several suggestions on their website.

"It is also important to understand which covered treatments are funded through the 'health' section of your plan and which are funded through the 'mental health' section. For example, your psychiatrist and medical doctor will be funded through 'health benefits' and you should insist that these are billed this way. You will probably have lower co-pays and services will not be as limited."

The Westins offer suggestions also if you find yourself having to file an appeal with your insurance company. Read more at AnnaWestinFoundation.org.

Labels: costs, health care, insurance

Helping a child recover from an eating disorder can be a long, scary, and expensive process. Long-term, live-in facilities can cost tens of thousands of dollars a month, and most insurance agencies don't cover any of the expenses for long-term care. Several New Jersey families have recently filed a class-action law suit against insurance companies, stating that they are violating the mental health parity act that requires biologically based disorders to be covered by medical insurance.

"The National Institute of Mental Health... says that 'several family and twin studies are suggestive of a high heritability of anorexia and bulimia' and that, while no gene has been found linking eating disorders with inheritability, 'scientists suspect that multiple genes may interact with environmental and other factors to increase the risk of developing these illnesses.'"

New Jersey's definition of "biologically based" disorders includes things like obsessive compulsive disorder, and depression, both of which are often linked to eating disorders and may provide further proof that the disorders are in fact biologically based. Read more at CourierPostOnline.com.

Labels: costs, insurance, treatment