Not even Medicare covers mental health at par with coverage of physical illness. Altering that would go a long way to reducing any "stigma".
What happens is without treatment (known and proven, not just a pill) mental health issues deteriorate, reducing income and resulting in Medicaid becoming the largest supplier of mental health treatment (next to prisons). Most Medicaid mental health programs have been severely gutted and don't offer minimum treatments using proven medical standards. At best Medicaid mental health treatment is a warehouse program largely because they are a voiceless class, i.e. low hanging fruit. Medicaid, unlike insurance such as Medicare, loose their rights to appeals and court due to being federal regulation. Try finding a "Medicaid" attorney. They don't exist.
However, CMS is "not an enforcement agency" even though CMS writes the checks. No one is and a state can write any standard in a state plan without medical soundness required and CMS approves since there's little else they can do. CMS approves even knowing a state is violating federal regulations. States insure this further with contradictory, vague state laws so that not even the occasional, delusional "robin hood" attorney will take a case against Medicaid. Every state makes money off Medicaid and most start with gutting mental health programs, turning them into federal money laundering programs for state general funds.
Obama's made this same appeal since 2008 and promised mental health parity with physical illness but it's gotten worse instead. Someone, please, point out the difference between Mrs. Obama's comment and Bush Jr's "kiss of support" that usually meant a program was cut 24-48 hours after Bush Jr. made a speech offering his support.
I'm sorry folks, this is more of the same for the ignorant. I hope I'm wrong but just watch what's on the chopping block next.
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