(This letter appeared in the New York Times in response to an Op-Ed regarding Mental Health parity)

With regard to mental health parity, Maia Szalavitz’ asserts in her Op-Ed piece “When the Cure Is Not Worth the Cost” (April 11) “unless mental health parity is tied to evidence-based treatment and positive outcomes, generous benefits may become a profit bonanza for providers that does little to help patients.” Ms. Szalavitz’ assertion that many clinicians are not using evidence-based practices is not only untrue, but it also takes the focus of mental health parity policy debate away from the true beneficiaries-the patients.
Licensed psychologists, for example, provide a range of evidence-based treatments for mental health and substance abuse disorders that have been proven to effectively help patients. Research has consistently shown that individuals who receive a wide variety of psychological treatments do better than those who do not. In fact, seventy-five percent of those who receive psychological treatment have beneficial outcomes, which is comparable to or better than many standard medical treatments. Clinical studies show one in three patients receiving psychotherapy fully recovers, whereas only one in eight patients receiving angioplasty or bypass surgery after heart attacks does so.

Yet, there is, unfortunately, a “profit bonanza” that has plagued the health care system for years, but it is not providers who reap the financial benefits. Rather, it is the insurance and managed care companies who limit services to increase their profits. Patients with mental health disorders receive a “double whammy” as a result of additional arbitrary limits on coverage and higher co-pays that simply would not be tolerated if applied to physical health coverage.

Having a mental health disorder can be as serious as having a heart attack or any other debilitating, life-threatening physical health disorder. In addition, there is a clear connection between mental health disorders and physical ailments. It’s time this country’s health care system stopped putting profits ahead of patients and, once and for all, stopped discriminating against people with mental health disorders. Congress can help remedy this injustice by passing the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act.