EDC Addresses All Treatment Denials

EDC Update: The Eating Disorders Coalition expands HICA Campaign to include all denials of eating disorder treatment.

In early 2011 the EDC initiated the Hold Insurance Companies Accountable Campaign (HICA Campaign) as a response to a number of insurance companies that are categorically denying residential treatment for eating disorders.

We are now expanding the HICA Campaign to include all denials of eating disorder treatment.

Mental Health Parity requires that any group health plan that includes mental health and substance use disorder benefits along with standard medical and surgical coverage must treat them equally. According to the nationally recognized law firm of Patton Boggs, the statute is clear that limits on the scope and duration of treatment must be applied no more restrictively in the mental health benefit than in the medical/surgical benefit. The statute defines treatment limitations as "limits on the frequency of treatment, number of visits, days of coverage, or other similar limits on the scope or duration of treatment."

Not complying with the parity regulations is a calculated effort to avoid costs at the expense of people's health and lives. The EDC argues that treatment should be determined by severity and type of illness, rather than what is arbitrarily allowed by an individual's insurance company.

Through legal and political advocacy, the EDC's Hold Insurance Companies Accountable Campaign is working with specialized attorneys and experts in the field to put an end to such discriminatory and deadly practices.

IN ORDER TO HELP YOU, WE NEED TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE:

If you or a loved one has been denied insurance coverage for eating disorder treatment, please email us at: EDCHoldsInsuranceAccountable@yahoo.com

We will send you a short form to fill out and then work with you to alert Members of Congress and other people who could help address your situation (such as pro-bono attorneys if appropriate).

You deserve access to care and we look forward to helping you gain justice in that regard.