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Lynch: Obamacare’s strengths shine in mental health care

The glamour of the Emmy’s on Monday night was interrupted with a somber moment when Billy Crystal made a tribute to America’s beloved comedian, wisecracker and opportunist — the late Robin Williams. The heartfelt tribute managed to summarize all of our conflicting feelings on his death: anguish, melancholy, hopelessness and a sense of gratitude for having been witness to Williams’ brilliance in the first place. In his tribute, Crystal described Williams as “the brightest star in the comedy galaxy.” The disturbance of losing this man to suicide served as a harsh reminder that everyone, regardless of their place in life, is suspect to forces like mental illness and addiction.

Though his death occurred a few weeks ago, many mental health experts and those who have battled depression are using his death as an opportunity to shine a light on this misconceived disease. Social media has done a lot to spread awareness about mental illness recently, specifically drawing attention to the fact that suicide is a public health problem, and nothing less. Mental health issues and addiction are all medical issues — issues that are covered by health insurance.

Although there have been years of Republican attacks on the Affordable Care Act, it’s important to take a look at the life-saving and life-changing results that come with Obamacare. For quite some time now, a slew of conservatives have confidently shot down Obamacare and, having voted 40 times to change Obamacare under John Boehner as Speaker of the House, it is obvious that Republicans have had no trouble voicing their disapproval of the law. However, as a country, we are in bipartisan agreement that we need better options for those battling mental health issues. It is imperative to step aside from political agendas and ascertain the ways the Affordable Care Act can facilitate those who need help dealing with mood disorders.

According to the National Institute of Public Health, 16 million Americans suffer from depression each year. One third of them don’t get treatment — which means that every year, over 5 million adults experience a major depressive episode and don’t get treatment. A major reason for this is the cost of doctoring: a hospital stay for mood disorder usually costs thousands of dollars.
After looking at the latest statistics from the Obama administration and other recent health research, it is hard to argue against the fact that Obamacare is useful in providing individuals with health insurance plans that cover mental health benefits.

The Affordable Care Act requires all health insurance plans to cover mental health benefits. With Obamacare, companies can’t refuse to cover treatments for those with mental health issues and they can’t deny coverage to those who have suffered from anxiety and depression in the past.
Moreover, a provision in the Affordable Care Act allows parents to keep their adult children on their health insurance plans, which has led to millions more young people with mental health problems getting treatment.
This is good news, not only for young adults with mental health issues, but also for their family who often suffer when their loved ones are affected by a mood disorder and are unable to access affordable treatment.
Before Obamacare, almost 60 percent of mental health care provided to this group was paid for out-of-pocket and these services are expensive, especially so for the many individuals who are uninsured. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in people up to age 24, according to the CDC, making addressing mental health issues in this age group particularly important.



It should be known that the Obama Administration has done a great deal to help those coping with mental illness. Shortly after the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conneticut, President Obama administered that all health care providers must treat mental health issues equally as those with physical health issues. The Obama Administration also allocated 100 million federal dollars to go toward mental health funding.

Maybe in time, personal stories about Obamacare assisting those battling mental illness will clear some of the negativity about the law and help make its benefits clearer to understand. It is meaningful to make it as easy as possible for those dealing with mental illness and substance abuse to seek help and get treatment. The Affordable Care Act may have a bad reputation in our country — but that law is saving lives every year. The Republican party needs to put partisanship aside and support what’s best for Americans’ well-being.

Jillian Lynch is a broadcast journalism and political philosophy major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at
[email protected] and followed on Twitter @jillianlynch.





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