"Challenges in Insurance Coverage for Early Schizophrenia Intervention"
In the U.S., only 10-20% of young adults and adolescents experiencing a psychotic episode gain access to the comprehensive care recommended by the National Institute of Mental Health, largely due to insurance companies refusing to cover the costs. M, a young woman with schizophrenia, benefited from a holistic treatment program that led to significant improvements in her life, including a job promotion. However, such programs are scarce and often inaccessible to those with private insurance, creating a reverse disparity where low-income individuals with public insurance have better access to care. Efforts to mandate broader insurance coverage for these treatments have faced resistance from the insurance industry, despite evidence of the treatments' effectiveness.