Soapbox

Brain Discrimination by Maryanne Watson, Ph.D., ABPP Board Certified in Family Psychology We try to understand and correct racial, ethnic, and gender discrimination. The United Stated values diversity and equality. As a nation, our goal is to be the land of the brave and the land of the free. However, there is a new and insidious discrimination that is just as ugly, just as unfair, just as vicious and just as hurtful as racial, gender, and ethnic discrimination. This discrimination is "brain discrimination." The body is classified incorrectly into two parts, physical and mental, according to the reimbursement rates of Medicare, Medicaid, and Health Care Insurance. The physical part of the body is considered superior and the mental part of the body is considered inferior based on reimbursement rates. The lowest, least valued, part of the body is the mental part, specifically an imbalance of brain chemistry; the brain chemistry is considered an inferior body part. The brain receives discrimination because it exists in a stigmatized part of the body. Insurance companies and benefit packages stigmatize this part of the body. This stigmatization is demonstrated by limiting the number of times the patient is allowed access to psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health practitioner. The intolerance and organ discrimination is manifested through significantly higher medical deductibles than any other part of the body. If chemically imbalanced, the brain can have a lifetime dollar maximum significantly lower than the lifetime dollar maximum of any other part of the body.	"If chemically imbalanced, the brain can have a lifetime dollar maximum significantly lower than the lifetime dollar maximum of any other part of the body."

Balanced brain chemistry provides pleasure, abilities to concentrate, think, remember, experience and express emotions. Imbalanced brain chemistry is correlated with obsessions, compulsions, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, depressive disorders, post partum disorders, panic attacks, phobias, post traumatic stress disorders, generalized anxiety disorders, autism, schizophrenia, mood disorders, bipolar disorders, major depressive disorders, attention deficit disorders and other brain chemistry problems. These chemical imbalances are considered inferior physiological problems with inferior medical benefits, fewer approved doctor visits, higher medical deductibles, and higher dollar co-pays than the "superior" physiological problems. This false dichotomy occurs although research shows the brain chemical imbalances are medical problems and should be classified in the superior physiological problem category.
Some parts of the brain are valued more than other parts of the brain.
Brain discrimination is fine-tuned. There are certain problems of the brain considered superior medical problems. These superior medical problems include malignant and benign tumors, embolisms and aneurysms. Any type of closed head injury moves the brain from an inferior medical problem to a superior medical problem in the eyes of an insurance company. To further confuse the matter, there are brain problems considered superior medical problems such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease and Huntington's disease. There is enough of a stigma about mental illnesses (brain chemistry imbalances) that insurance companies get away with categorizing them in the inferior medical category thus displaying the public's intolerance and ignorance. They (the insurance company and managed care companies) are able to propagate organ hatred, organ bias, financial greed, and medical discrimination. Brain discrimination like racial discrimination is a product of ignorance. It allows all other than brain chemistry problems to experience organ superiority. Although modern technology brings people closer together and the political barriers have become less rigid since September 11, 2001, forms of racial intolerance continue to limit opportunities based on race, religion, and gender. Recent studies have shown the moral injustice of allocation of medical resources based on racial discrimination when insurance and income are controlled. In spite of the United States claiming to be a land of religious freedom, religious bias and discrimination remains. Gender bias is evident in the pay differential between men and women. There are discrimination problems related to intolerance, ignorance, organ bias, and legalized thievery by the insurance industries. This is a big problem.	"They (the insurance companies and managed care companies) are able to propagate organ hatred, organ bias, financial greed, and medical discrimination."
Where are those fighting for fairness for the brain? Where are those fighting for mental parity? Who holds the insurance industry accountable? Who marches for fairness and just allocation of resources for brain problems? And what about the professionals?
The psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychotherapists that treat the mentally ill currently experience discrimination. These professionals are discriminated against through higher deductibles, restricted numbers of hospitals days for stabilization, increased liability with less auxiliary care, and pro-bono treatment when necessary treatment benefits are denied. In Texas, Insurance companies and Managed Care Companies are becoming more aggressive in their refusal to follow the law. These companies defy the laws concerning timely payment to providers. They ignore the sixty outpatient psychotherapy rules for serious mental illness. They use delay tactics when trying to give clinical information or obtain authorization and they pay at the wrong rates. The insurance companies are too powerful with too much money and too many attorneys for an independent practitioner to sue. You or I would go to jail if we did similar things. I do not believe that we have to tolerate this. Just because we are small businesses, we do not have to give in. Please send me examples you have experienced of payment violations. I want to take this to the media.	"In Texas, Insurance companies and Managed Care Companies are becoming more aggressive in their refusal to follow the law."