Reply to this post giving an account of changes in the mental health parity act
The changes made in the Mental Health Parity Act of 2008 are to include mental health to be treated as any other disease. The coverage of cost by insurance companies cannot differ from medical/surgical coverage to mental health coverage (CMS, n.d.). Mental health disorders are to be considered just as serious as other diseases like hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc. Providing the same coverage for mental health services gives people the opportunity to care for themselves in an affordable way. People with mental health disorders may be experiencing other health determinants that make mental health care unavailable to them.
Nurses collaborate with other health professionals and the public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities (Carlson, 2017). Nurses want everyone to have equal access to healthcare and education on how to be healthy. Nurses advocate for all vulnerable populations to receive equal opportunity for treatment despite disparities. Human rights and healthcare should not be separated. There is no clear division between the two.
The nurse has a primary commitment is to the patient. Nurses should prioritize service to patients and not to government or organizations that are undermining patient rights. This includes insurance companies that try to deny payment for services. Nurses should do the best they can to document to show rational for services needed. Mental health services should be paid for as any other diagnosis. There are several health disparities that can cause patients not to be seen by a healthcare provider when needed. These include sexual orientation, immigration status, drug addicts, etc. It is our duty to advocate for the patient and treat them, not to report to authorities. The more this is respected the more people will feel safe seeking healthcare when they need it. It also helps us care for them better because they can trust us with their whole story, not just part of the story.
It is not a nurse’s responsibility to report someone based on their immigration status. It is our duty to treat the patient. The patient is our first obligation, not the authorities (Carlson, 2017). Ethical dilemmas may be noticed due to a patient’s inability to pay for care or obtain necessary medications. A nurse could find themselves in a moral dilemma when a patients insurance company denies coverage. This is found too often today. Nurses must respond and continue to advocate for patients to assure equal treatment and equal payment as well as equal access to healthcare and treatment. Nurses should continue to be defenders of dignity.