There is ongoing debate across the country about the type of insurance coverage that people with psychological disorders receive. For many people, insurance comes up short in paying for complete treatment. Those struggling with eating disorders often have serious difficulty with this since the cost of in-patient or on-going out-patient treatment can be significantly high. The Chicago Tribune has a great story on some work that advocacy groups are doing in this area.

In an effort to get insurance carriers to cover these diseases as they would any other biological illness, families and advocacy organizations are filing lawsuits against insurers, forming groups to lobby politicians for new legislation, and teaching other parents how to appeal denied claims.

Treatment centers also are finding ways to help families cover costs. Renfrew Center, which operates eating-disorder treatment facilities in seven states, has contracted with 75 insurance companies around the country to provide at least some assistance to patients.

I’ve written a handful of times on this blog about insurance coverage for mental health, and this this is a great example of how providers fail their clients. I hope these groups can continue to make a difference.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 26 Jan 2007
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.