Anorexia Should Be Covered
REQUEST FOR HEALTH PLAN COVERAGE OF ANOREXIA AND BULIMIA NERVOSA, FEEDING AND EATING DISORDERS
REQUEST FOR HEALTH PLAN COVERAGE OF ANOREXIA AND BULIMIA NERVOSA, FEEDING AND EATING DISORDERS:
Many health plans, government and private, exclude coverage for the treatment of anorexia and bulimia nervosa, feeding and eating disorders, or impose medical necessity criteria which require patients be so physically compromised that they suffer permanent complications - or die - before being eligible for coverage. Patients with anorexia and bulimia nervosa, feeding and eating disorders are often children, and deserve prompt treatment to recover and live healthy lives.
We ask that you:
1. Require coverage on all plans, insured and self-insured, private or government, for efficacious treatment of anorexia and bulimia nervosa, feeding and eating disorders.
2. As long as symptoms are active or the patient is at risk of relapse, allow no stricter medical necessity criteria, or benefit limitations, to be imposed.
3. Require that appropriate medical providers and residential facilities, specifically trained in treating eating disorders, be covered by in-network benefits.
4. Support early screening and prevention programs for eating disorders in schools.
"Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness."1 "It is estimated that 10% of individuals with Anorexia Nervosa will die within 10 years of the onset of the disorder." 2 Individuals with eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS), which is viewed as a less severe eating disorder, have mortality risks similar to those found in anorexia nervosa.3 Acting now to require health plan coverage for their treatment will prevent unnecessary deaths, as early intervention dramatically increases survival rates.4
Failure to correct the mistreatment of these fatal mental illnesses will cost lives. These requests are reasonable and affordable in comparison to the cost of tragically denying life-saving medical services to weak and suicidal patients.
1. American Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 152 (7), July 1995, p. 1073-1074, Sullivan, Patrick F. 2. Sullivan, P. (2002). Course and outcome of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. In Fairburn, C. G.& Brownell, K. D. (Eds.). Eating Disorders and Obesity (pp. 226-232). New York, New York: Guilford. 3. American Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 166 (12), December 2009, p 1342-1346, Crow, S.J., Peterson, C.B., Swanson, S.A., Raymond, N.C., Specker, S., Eckert, E.D., Mitchell, J.E. 4. International Journal of Eating Disorders, Vol. 27 (4), May 2000, p 428-434, Reas, D.L., Williamson, D.A., Martin, C.K., Zucker, N.L.
Many health plans, government and private, exclude coverage for the treatment of anorexia and bulimia nervosa, feeding and eating disorders, or impose medical necessity criteria which require patients be so physically compromised that they suffer permanent complications - or die - before being eligible for coverage. Patients with anorexia and bulimia nervosa, feeding and eating disorders are often children, and deserve prompt treatment to recover and live healthy lives.
We ask that you:
1. Require coverage on all plans, insured and self-insured, private or government, for efficacious treatment of anorexia and bulimia nervosa, feeding and eating disorders.
2. As long as symptoms are active or the patient is at risk of relapse, allow no stricter medical necessity criteria, or benefit limitations, to be imposed.
3. Require that appropriate medical providers and residential facilities, specifically trained in treating eating disorders, be covered by in-network benefits.
4. Support early screening and prevention programs for eating disorders in schools.
"Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness."1 "It is estimated that 10% of individuals with Anorexia Nervosa will die within 10 years of the onset of the disorder." 2 Individuals with eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS), which is viewed as a less severe eating disorder, have mortality risks similar to those found in anorexia nervosa.3 Acting now to require health plan coverage for their treatment will prevent unnecessary deaths, as early intervention dramatically increases survival rates.4
Failure to correct the mistreatment of these fatal mental illnesses will cost lives. These requests are reasonable and affordable in comparison to the cost of tragically denying life-saving medical services to weak and suicidal patients.
1. American Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 152 (7), July 1995, p. 1073-1074, Sullivan, Patrick F. 2. Sullivan, P. (2002). Course and outcome of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. In Fairburn, C. G.& Brownell, K. D. (Eds.). Eating Disorders and Obesity (pp. 226-232). New York, New York: Guilford. 3. American Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 166 (12), December 2009, p 1342-1346, Crow, S.J., Peterson, C.B., Swanson, S.A., Raymond, N.C., Specker, S., Eckert, E.D., Mitchell, J.E. 4. International Journal of Eating Disorders, Vol. 27 (4), May 2000, p 428-434, Reas, D.L., Williamson, D.A., Martin, C.K., Zucker, N.L.
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