Is lack of Medical Coverage Leading to Over Prescribing of Drugs for Kids Behavioral Issues?
[7/18/07]
The over 45 Million people without access to affordable healthcare insurance pose a problem to more than just themselves. Study after study has shown that people without health insurance postpone trips to the doctor until they are really sick. This puts a drain on already strained health resources. Those without adequate medical insurance often rely on emergency rooms for treatment, and we the tax payers pick up that tab, to the tune of millions of dollars a year. There can be no doubt that the public at large can benefit from policy changes that can make affordable medical coverage more accessible to more people.
Several recent studies have been compiled that indicate another problem that is related to lack of low cost medical insurance or adequate health insurance coverage. According to the Academy of Pediatrics, and backed by several recent studies, lack of adequate medical insurance may be contributing to the over medicating of children with emotional disorders.
The academy says this is a major disservice to our nation’s children and teens, who are in effect being denied access to non-drug therapy options for emotional or mental problems. Those families without medical insurance usually cannot afford talk therapy or other psychological treatments that do not involve the use of medication. And even for those with health coverage this can be a problem. Many policies especially low cost health insurance policies do not cover in or out-patient talk therapy, or such coverage is very limited. Yet the policies do provide coverage for prescription drugs. This sets up a quandary for pediatricians when they are confronted with a parent who brings in a child suffering from depression or some other emotional disorder. Due to health insurance restrictions the doctor often is not in a position to recommend talk therapy or refer to other psychiatric care. His only option is to prescribe anti-depressants or other medications.
The study released by the Academy of Pediatrics sites other reasons that also may be contributing to this over prescribing of pharmaceuticals for treatment of emotional disorders in children. Primarily direct to consumer advertising for prescription drugs by the pharmaceutical companies has created a “drug” culture in which patients expect a pill to relive every ache, pain, or problem.
Still practitioners believe lack of access to affordable medical coverage and lack of health insurance companies to provide adequate coverage for psychiatric services are mostly to blame. Says Ronald Brown, professor of public health, psychology and pediatrics at Temple University Health Sciences Center in Philadelphia, “For the typical pediatrician, when a parent complains that their child is depressed or has school problems, you do not have the luxury of referring the child to a psychiatrist for a workup, so you're inclined to use medication. Insurance companies are basically deciding what services they will provide and how much of the service will be covered and how extensively."
Several recent studies have been compiled that indicate another problem that is related to lack of low cost medical insurance or adequate health insurance coverage. According to the Academy of Pediatrics, and backed by several recent studies, lack of adequate medical insurance may be contributing to the over medicating of children with emotional disorders.
The academy says this is a major disservice to our nation’s children and teens, who are in effect being denied access to non-drug therapy options for emotional or mental problems. Those families without medical insurance usually cannot afford talk therapy or other psychological treatments that do not involve the use of medication. And even for those with health coverage this can be a problem. Many policies especially low cost health insurance policies do not cover in or out-patient talk therapy, or such coverage is very limited. Yet the policies do provide coverage for prescription drugs. This sets up a quandary for pediatricians when they are confronted with a parent who brings in a child suffering from depression or some other emotional disorder. Due to health insurance restrictions the doctor often is not in a position to recommend talk therapy or refer to other psychiatric care. His only option is to prescribe anti-depressants or other medications.
The study released by the Academy of Pediatrics sites other reasons that also may be contributing to this over prescribing of pharmaceuticals for treatment of emotional disorders in children. Primarily direct to consumer advertising for prescription drugs by the pharmaceutical companies has created a “drug” culture in which patients expect a pill to relive every ache, pain, or problem.
Still practitioners believe lack of access to affordable medical coverage and lack of health insurance companies to provide adequate coverage for psychiatric services are mostly to blame. Says Ronald Brown, professor of public health, psychology and pediatrics at Temple University Health Sciences Center in Philadelphia, “For the typical pediatrician, when a parent complains that their child is depressed or has school problems, you do not have the luxury of referring the child to a psychiatrist for a workup, so you're inclined to use medication. Insurance companies are basically deciding what services they will provide and how much of the service will be covered and how extensively."
Individual or
Family Health
Family Health
Group / Small
Business Health
Business Health