Topic : 03/15 Starving for Perfection

You are correct, the media and fashion industry wasn't pointed out as a real concern, as well as coaches in some certain sports such as dancing and gymnastics being among the biggest.  My daughter is 17, and we did put her into one treatment facility, whom we had to agree to keep her at for min of 60 days, irreguardless if the insurance company paid what they are suppose to!  (Which they aren't!)  But we were quoted a price to pay and once we paid that our end was clear.  The price is high - it has turned us upside down financially and we are in the process of going through the legal system for relief.  But....having some knowledge of the insurance companies and now having been through this on a personal level - I know that parents can not send their daughters to treatment - inpatient or outpatient because of the costs and how insurance companies look at eating disorders.  They look at it as a mental health issue instead of a medical issue which is what they are suppose to do and few people know that and the insurance companies know that no one is going through legal processes to enforce the federal law - the Mental Health Parity Act which states that Eating Disorders are to be paid at the same rate and same benefit as Medical not Mental health benefits with a couple exceptions.  We have United Healthcare and they are breaking federal law, most people don't know it - so they get away with it.  We are going to sue our insurance company for going against the federal HIPAA law - Mental Health Parity Act.  The federal government has already informed us that our insurance company does not have an exception to the law - but I want to become an advocate for changes in the law to get the word out about the insurance companies and change this.  People are dying of eating disorders and it is a real physical problem.  My prayers are with you.

I really hope people who suffer or know someone who suffers from an ED are not discouraged by some of the comments posted on this site. 

Just like any disorder, there are a wide range of people with ED's.  Some are attention-lovers, some are control freaks.  There are certainly some therapists who want to keep people in therapy as long as possible.  But these people are by no means the majority.  They're just the one's who get the most attention and make for some fun arguments.

I believe that most people with an ED are like me-people you would never know had an ED.  I wasn't 60 lbs, on TV, demanding attention.  I suffered, got help and moved on.  And my therapist worked with me to get me back to normal life - without her. 

I hope the people who are angriest about these disorders aren't talking to their daughters or sisters like this.  If you have a loved one with a disorder I think it is more important to help them than to argue about why they got the ED. And no one will ask for your help if its clear you won't give it.

I'm sorry to see emphasis on whether anorexia is listed as a mental health or medical issue with insurance companies.  It should not make a difference.  The fact that our country does not have a national health care plan is a disgrace.  The fact that people vote against national health care with the excuse that "everyone should have insurance" is another disgrace.

Most insurance companies only pay for care for mental illnesses for the first 6 months.

That means that those people with life long chronic, expensive illnesses only get care for six months.  Schizophrenia typically begins at age twenty and lasts for an entire life with monthly medication costs of about $400.00.  Ever wonder why so many schizophrenics are homeless and unmedicated?  Now you know.

I am a recovered eating disorder patient for 20 years now.  Why are you criticising  Dr. Phil?!  Why are you criticising the media?  Dr. Phil is right about eating disorders!  The media, it is only a percentage of the problem.  The real problem?!  The REAL problem is ignorant parenting, AND, what siblings say, AND, what coaches say.   

Please don't comment on this again until you educate yourself about this serious problem. 

Eric and I watched this show with much sadness in the visual conceptions of this fatal disease. I could totally relate with what these two women are going through. However, I was more moved by the older lady because of all the physical exercise she puts herself through because of her own beliefs about herself.

We felt sad.

to me it seemed like jennifer, the younger of the two, was letting the disorder take its course, it was like she wanted control so much over everything around her that her body was one thing she absolutely had to have her own way..if nothing else.

with darlene, i was so surprised to see how far she pushes herself, and its all just too achieve the "perfect" weight. she is so afraid of failing that she doesnt even want to try to get healthy again. she was told she couldnt do things, or she was getting fat, and she felt like a failure growing up, and that is probably the worst feeling out there, to think you've let your parents down, yet again. but now, there is just darlene and her sister, and is she goes and tries to get help with her eating disorder, and is successful, then she will knows she really can do anything, but if she fails, she will know that she atleast tried. she will know she gave it her all, and there is nothing more that can be done.

i just want to say good luck to darlene, and as long as you try, you are not failing

Most insurance companies have a certain mental health benefit which renews each year.

If a disease is classified as mental health than it would come under mental health benefits but any medical problems arisinfg from the mental illness should and will be covered by medical benefits.  If one has a claim which has been denied than he or she should look at the bill and see what the diagnosis was on it.  Obviously if the physician is a psychiatrist than it will most likely be mental illness,  If the claim was submitted with a mental healthdianosis but was in fact for a mental problem than ask the health care provider to resubmit a corrected bill and if denied again, call the insurance and demand the new corrected bill is carefully revieded as it is a corrected bill not duplicate bill which computers tend to deny.  If need be send in a complaint, asked for medical review and/or call the insurance comissioner if it is an insurance plan, if you don't know send it anyways as you have nothing to lose.

However, even if a person has anorexia but is admitted to a hospitaly  for heart problems even though a direct link is the anorexia, that hospitalization unless in a psy hospital

should be covered under medical as the patient should be in a general hospital.

There are states that consider mental illness as any other illness and insurances are not allowed to have different benefits. 

There are also health plans which are not insurance but health plans an employer creates for his or her employees.  Often these give more benefits than insurance but not always.  A company sponsored health plan does not falls under the guidelines of the state's insurance commissioners and the commissioner can do nothing about complainst.

One things employees should keep in mind when selecting their insurance for the following year,  if you have any illness or medical condition which has what is called a lifetime maximum (often invitro fertilization comes under this) and you have reached or nearly reached it than if your employer offers another plan, switch to it for the benefits previously paid by the old plan have no bearrng on the new one.  You can switch back and forth between companies as each new enrollment is treated as a new plan.  There is no preexisting as long as one has had continual health coverage. 

Help yourself by making your health plan work for you.  It's your money and your benefits.