Accessibility in US

By Samantha Laba

According to the National Institute of Health, about one in five adults suffer from a diagnosable mental health problem. There is a growing demand for psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and other mental health professionals across the globe. Approximately 5.6% of the United States national healthcare budget is going towards mental health, which is not enough for this growing global issue (“Mental Health Resources,” 2018). In March 2010, former President Obama proposed the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This healthcare reform law has provided more affordable health insurance to individuals living below the poverty line, including coverage for drug abuse and mental health treatment. In the beginning of September, a GOP lawsuit was brought to court in Texas to decide whether the ACA is unconstitutional. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 27% of the American population would have been denied healthcare coverage if it were not for the ACA (Luhby, 2018).

The United States is at a place where most people agree it is essential to provide resources to fight the opioid crisis and provide mental health services, therefore denying access to affordable healthcare for millions of Americans negates its importance. If the United States really wanted to have a health insurance system to address these issues, the Affordable Care Act must stay in place for both citizens that are at low risk for these illness, as well as citizens that are at high risk (Friedman, 2018).

All of the American population will be affected by this decision, whether positive or negative. As of right now, hearings are taking place to reassess the Affordable Care Act and the future of millions Americans’ access to affordable mental health resources are on the line.

References:

Friedman, M. (2018, September 20). Attacking the ACA Is an Attack on Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.medpagetoday.com/psychiatry/generalpsychiatry/75209

Luhby, T. (2018, September 5). GOP lawsuit that could bring down Obamacare goes to court. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/05/politics/texas-affordable-care-act-obamacare-lawsuit/index.html

Writers, S. (2018, August 01). Mental Health Resources. Retrieved from https://www.publichealth.org/resources/mental-health/