Division Activities, News & Notes

Manual to Protect Consumers from Managed Care

The National Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers has published the Mental Health Consumer Protection Manual: A Guide to Solving Problems with Insurance and Managed Care. This no nonsense 32 page booklet is the centerpiece of the National Coalition’s Consumer Protection Program which is designed to help consumers deal with problems obtaining mental health services in the managed care system.

Mental health has undergone healthcare’s most severe economic and moral damage from managed care - its services have been cut by 54% as compared to 7% for physical health (Hay Group, 1998). Managed care created this severe reduction in services by going beyond controlling the excesses in the system, and focusing on profit while sacrificing quality care. An overwhelming number of patients are receiving less than adequate treatment in the managed care system that has also compromised privacy, uses a host of strategies that discourage patients from continuing treatment, places unreasonable limits on the length of treatment, and/or denies necessary services. It has constructed barriers to treatment that harm patients with common issues like depression or relationship problems, as well as the severely mentally ill. Dr. Ivan Miller, Coalition Executive Director and editor of the manual, states that, “The managed care attack on mental health services is continuing evidence of discrimination against mental health patients.”

Until now consumers had few resources to help them negotiate the system in order to obtain quality care. Dr. Karen Shore, founder and President of the National Coalition, explains, “Consumers of mental health care have been disempowered by the control managed care has taken over their health care decisions. Our manual helps put power back into the patient’s hands.” Dr. Ivan J. Miller reports, “The manual offers consumers the wisdom and advice of experts who have investigated the problems in managed care. In addition, the manual tells about the behind-the-scenes strategies of managed care that have been disclosed by whistle blowers, and gives accounts from consumers who have successfully dealt with managed care problems.”

Consumers who have used the manual are reporting that the ideas in the manual can make a difference in obtaining services from managed mental health care companies. Additionally, while the strategies in the manual were developed with mental health in mind, they are also effective in dealing with problems in managed physical health care.

Key chapters of the manual are available at http://www.NoManagedCare.org. The entire Manual can be purchased either on the website or by calling 888-SAY-NOMC (888-729-6662). The cost is $12.00 for the first copy, $6.00 for each additional copy, plus $3.00 postage and handling regardless of the number of copies. Consumers who cannot afford the cost will receive one free of charge. While Division 42 Board has not reviewed the manual yet, the brochure is likely to be of interest Division 42 members.

For more inforamtion contact:
Dr. Ed Lundeen, Chair, Media Committee
610-820-8499

Ana Sanjuan, Administrative Director; 303-245-8600

Dr. Ivan J. Miller, Executive Director and editor of manual
303-499-3888