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ADHD and Health Care Reform
By Neil Peterson | August 29, 2009
For tens of millions of Americans, the current debate over health care insurance reform is not – at heart – a solely political issue. It is a question of fundamental rights. Do we, as citizens who pay taxes, vote, and thereby join in the ongoing evolution of our democratic experiment, deserve the right to ‘universal health care?’ And what does that mean?
It speaks to the import of the issue – the care of our single most important resource – our health, that citizens have felt so propelled to speak in any forum available to them. The debate is further clouded by economic interests and fear of the unknown and untested. Can the government do a better job than private industry? We do not have an answer to this yet. But it is important to remember, in the midst of all of this, that for those millions of Americans without health insurance, or who are facing chronic illness, a recent diagnoses of cancer and other disease, or a lifelong disorder that requires treatment of some form, this is a debate that strikes to the core. With medical costs spiraling upwards, how will these proposed changes affect them, and their families?
Health Care Reform – Why Do We Need Health Reform?
One arena of this debate that has not received an equal amount of press is the impact of these changes on those with ADHD or related disorders. To understand that potential impact requires an unvarnished look at the policies currently in place. Recent statistics show staggering numbers of ADHD and related diagnoses in school-aged children – up to 7.8 percent in some studies. The growing body of medical research regarding these disorders’ genetic links and biological markers are proving invaluable for parents and students struggling against social myths regarding the disorder, but they have yet to receive substantial support from the insurance industry or the government.
Case in point: many private insurers have not yet adapted their coverage to include psychosocial treatments for patients with ADD, ADHD or a related disorder. Meaning, any treatment regiments suggested by a physician – whether psychological or medicinal in nature, must be paid for – in large part – by the family. In addition, by not supporting the development of improved classroom procedures and behavioral training for parents, any symptoms or challenges that arise out of this diagnosis, rather than being addressed and the potential impact lessened, will continue to create problems into adult-life. This ‘oversight’ is not only in the private industry, but in federal policy as well. Legislation – at a state and federal level, forbids funding for combination treatments – using preventive measures combined with more socially-based methods.
Children and Adults With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), an organization founded to address the complex issues regarding this and related disorders, has – in partnership with several related groups, proposed 13 Principles to the Obama Administration in the further development of a government healthcare option that will better serve those living with mental disorders. By providing a wider range of financial options, patients will receive preventive care – which supporters believe will reduce later costs associated with under-treated illnesses. For those with ADHD, those expenses can include medication, personal coaching, and the as yet unknown future economic costs of lowered productivity.
This is not an easy issue – with both sides raising important points as to the efficacy of the proposed legislation. And there is no single cure-all that will address the concerns. But at it’s core, it is igniting impassioned debates not often witnessed in this country in regards to domestic policy. This is democracy. This is what people are currently fighting to protect. It is a fact that would do us all well to remember.
Related Posts
- The Power of ADHD Coaching
- The Uncertain Maze of Funding for ADHD Treatment
- Uncovering the Role of Genetics in ADHD
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Topics: ADD & ADHD, General, Overcoming disabilities, Politics | No Comments »