LETTERS: COVERING MENTAL ILLNESS

To the editor:

Last week's decision in the U.S. Senate to require insurance coverage for mental illness on par with other physical ailments was a strike against discrimination faced by persons with brain disorders or mental illness and their families. It's about time our elected officials see that to single out one medical illness for denial of benefits is indefensible. Let us hope the language introduced by the Domenici-Wellstone amendment to the Health Insurance Reform Act survives the House-Senate conference committee.

Severe and persistent mental illnesses are known to be biological in nature like heart disease and diabetes. The symptoms of schizophrenia and manic depression can be controlled with psychotropic medications, much like diabetes can be controlled with insulin. We would consider it unthinkable to limit or deny a diabetic's insulin injections.

Yet this is exactly what we have done by not providing fair insurance coverage. Persons with mental illness and their families can become impoverished by the cost of treatment. Yet the cost of not providing medical care is even greater. Untreated mental illness often leads to suicide (10 to 12 percent), homelessness, lengthy and expensive hospitalizations, incarcerations, broken families and eventual dependence on public assistance.

Workers who remain stable through medication management can be productive and stay one the job. This issue should go to the conference committee this week. Our members of Congress and the presidential candidates of both parties have an opportunity to do the right thing. I hope they will.

CINDI KEELE, Executive Director

Missouri Coalition of Alliances for the Mentally Ill

Jefferson City