Posted by Ritch on July 29, 2002, at 22:35:44
In reply to Has ECT become the treatment for the wealthy?, posted by LostBoyinNC1 on July 28, 2002, at 22:24:23
> Ive read this before in a few places. The availability of ECT is scarce, mostly located at teaching hospitals. Some rural states the ECT availability is about nil. The emotional anti-ECT activists got it taken out of all the public mental health facilities a long time ago. Former military personnel who get their treatment at VA centers dont have the option of getting ECT at VA psychiatric wards anymore. Now its become an almost exclusive form of depression treatment. Its expensive, very expensive. Few psychiatrists do it anymore.
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> Ive read stories about movie stars and rock stars strung out on hard drugs coming out of rehab so messed up that the only thing that will fix them is ECT.
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> I do know Medicaid (the government insurance for the poor) will pay for ECT. But overall Im just a little concerned that ECT, the most effective treatment for really severe mood disorders is becoming the treatment for mainly the afluent and wealthy. Has anyone else ever wondered about this? Im concerned that the fears and stigmas of ECT in past decades have made its availability so scarce that now only the rich and affluent have the option of getting it.
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> The rest of us just get the medication merry go round with a little bit of cheap therapy thrown in.Hi,
IF they could arrange ECT for folks that need it which would make ECT look very CHEAP compared to medications and psychotherapy to the insurance companies it would probably have a new found renaissance! The insurance companies are looking for every way to cut down on costs. I wonder if you could get one maintenance ECT session for *less* money than a couple of AD scripts and a pdoc visit twice a month? Of course, that would assume doing it say on a Friday (taking one day off work), and being able to return on the following Monday. Don't know just guessing here. Economics seem to rule when everybody is losing money. Anybdoy have any $$ numbers $$ on a maintenance ECT session?
Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:114079
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020725/msgs/114266.html