by Bryan Crousore, MIN Editor
The Mental Illness Network and the Disabilities Ministry of the UCC hosted the Rev. Kenneth L. Ulmer of the Pension Boards for a frank, helpful discussion of issues surrounding the Health Benefits Plan. They discussed the disparity of coverage and access for those persons with some brain illness compared to others. Both Tourette’s syndrome and schizophrenia, for instance, can be seen by PET (Positron-Emission Tomography) scans as similar abnormalities of the same brain area. One is covered under the medical/surgical/imaging portion of our plan. The other is under the chemical dependency and mental health portion. This issue concerns both parity of payment and an equivalent access process. While dollar benefits do in some instances come close to parity, the access process for pre-approval of doctors appointments and ancillary services for the serious brain illnesses are vastly different, often inappropriate.
The MIN thanks Ken Ulmer for a fair hearing as we asked that the five major brain illnesses be included under the medical surgical imaging portion of the plan. The MIN welcomes anecdotes illustrative of the need to retain the present plan or to change it as MIN has recommended.
From UCC DM Newsletter Archive
