The Two Worlds of Health Care — Not Just Those With Insurance and Those Without

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment. It might as well say a physically impaired human on earth and a crazy alien from outer space. The worlds remain that far apart, and it carries over to health care. In all the talk about health care reform, I’ve yet to hear anyone address the disparity that still exists between physical health and mental health. There can’t be reform without finally making the two equal.

One of the great tragedies we’ve read about recently involved the soldier in Iraq who killed five of his fellow soldiers after being ordered to turn in his gun and receive psychological counseling. Without trying to excuse the soldier’s conduct, his father’s take on the event is noteworthy: “If a guy actually goes to the [mental health] clinic and asks for help, they think of him as a wimp.” If a soldier is ordered to get help, it’s even worse.

A less noticed news item was an NPR interview of a military father who recently lost two sons also in the military. One was killed in combat in Iraq. The other was a ROTC cadet who hanged himself after a lengthy bout with depression. The father was surprised at how different the reaction to the deaths was. One son was a hero. The other was, well, crazy. The father has now taken it upon himself to change the way the military deals with soldiers who struggle with depression, which can, of course, lead to suicide.

The debate over health care reform must include the need for parity between mental health problems and physical health problems. They’re both conditions that need health care. Even in the 21st century, they continue to be relegated to two different worlds.

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   Shawna says:

   May 18, 2009 at 2:47 pm

   NOTE: Terminal Illness can be Physical or Mental. Someone alert the Media.