While some patient advocacy groups, heavily funded by drug interests, and the mental health lobby purport that mental illness is like a physical disease such as diabetes, cancer, or epilepsy, scientific evidence simply doesn't substantiate this. On the contrary, there is no parity in the diagnosis of mental health problems compared to real physical conditions that can be accurately tested for and diagnosed. Psychiatrists admit they cannot distinguish between a mental disorder and no mental disorder…

Check out the CCHR .com web site for correct info.

Doctor Los Angeles

To the previous post...

You're not a doctor. Do a quick Google on "traumatic brain injury" and you'll see articles discussing the psychiatric implications. Of course this was the first thing that popped into my head, but hey, I'm not a doctor either...

And it is about time mental disorders receive parity in treatment.

The American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM‐IV) is the so‐called “bible” of psychiatric diagnoses that is used as the
source of billing codes for mental health treatment. Under H.R. 1424, every mental
disorder identified by the mental health profession through the DSM–IV (all 374 of them)
would be required to be covered by health plans.

• Professor of Psychology Jeffrey A. Schaler stated, ʺSince there are no objective tests for
ʹmental illness,ʹ all kinds of socially unacceptable behaviors will be declared ʹmental
illnesses. The bottom line is this: Behaviors cannot be diseases.ʺ

Should Congress Really Be Codifying Subjective
DSM‐IV Diagnoses Like These Into Law?
Spelling disorder, Expressive Language Disorder,
Disorder of Written Expression Mathematics, Disorder
Nicotine use or withdrawal, Caffeine intoxication/withdrawal
Conduct disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder,
Sibling Rivalry Disorder, Phase of Life Problem
Pathological Fire‐Setting, Pathological Stealing,
Pedophilia Sexual Desire Disorders,
Unspecified Mental Disorder, Circadian Rhythm Disorder (jet lag)

No Real Parity with Medical Benefits
Beyond the questionable nature of some of the ‘‘disorders’’ that would be required to be
covered, H.R. 1424 applies no similar requirement on any other category of medical
benefits covered by an insurance plan (hospital services, physician services, drug benefits,
or any other category of benefits), many of which involve serious medical conditions.
Rather, the bottom line is that H.R. 1424 is a preferential benefit mandate in favor of mental
health conditions, which would override many existing state mandates for insurance plans
that require coverage of a specific list of behavioral health and substance abuse conditions.
Summary
No mental health parity law should rely on the speciousness of DSM‐IV. If psychiatrists
were serious about mandated mental health parity, it would mean:
• An “opt‐out” clause would be available where individuals could decline mental health
coverage offered by their employer/insurance carrier in the same way that they can
decline dental and vision coverage and, thereby, pay less premiums.
• Only those mental disorders that could be proved through physical tests to be disease
(physical abnormality) can receive “parity” insurance coverage.
• All mental health laws would need to be amended and funding priorities changed so
that holistic medicine was also made accessible and covered by insurance for those
suffering from serious mental illness. This ensures no stigmatization.

I Recommend:
Congress must drop any reference to the DSM from any mental health parity bill.
Psychiatry and psychology should be held accountable for the funds already given them
and irrefutably and scientifically prove the physical existence of mental disorders they
claim should be treated and covered by insurance in the same way as physical diseases are.
Health insurance coverage for mental health problems should only be provided on the
proviso that full, searching physical examinations are first undertaken to determine that no
underlying and, thereby, untreated physical condition is causing the person’s mental
health condition. Such examinations would be covered under existing health coverage.
Mental health insurance coverage should not be based on the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as it is not based on science or medical fact, but
psychiatric opinion only.

Doctor Los Angeles is going to need benefits for carpal tunnel syndrome.