Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

To: Nachum
If you read down into the comments, you'll see that there are people who blame the closing of the mental hospitals on Ronald Reagan.

These people never, ever freaking quit, do they?

27 posted on 12/15/2012 9:52:22 PM PST by ponygirl (Be Breitbart.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: ponygirl

There was a time about 20 years ago when hospitals in our area equipped to handle both long and short-term mental health patients were on almost every corner. Most everybody had health coverage with a $250.00 calendar year deductible and then 20% co-pay. Mental health benefits allowed up to $25,000 a year for inpatient care but really limited outpatient psychotherapy benefits.

Psychiatrists admitted every patient that crossed their paths, gave them a psychiatric diagnosis and admitted them very early in the year. By the end of January their benefits were gone and they were suddenly well. The doctors would bill before the hospital and so they were paid first. Those that participated made a whole lot of money. Patients that had a legitimate need for help didn’t get it because they had no coverage and no money to be seen for treatment on a continuous long-term outpatient basis.

At one time kids born with Downs Syndrome, low IQ and other similar issues were also thought to be mentally ill, not quite “right in the head” and families dumped them into the state hospital system where they simply ceased to exist and more often than not were housed with really severely mentally ill people.

Just never been a good system, at least during my lifetime.


30 posted on 12/15/2012 10:17:18 PM PST by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson