 Dear Friend, Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, and it is estimated that about 14 million Americans currently suffer from them. Patients with depression and anxiety who also suffer from anorexia nervosa are 57 times more likely to die of suicide than their peers, and between 10 and 20 percent of eating disorder sufferers die from the illness. Unfortunately, those who suffer from these disorders often find themselves marginalized by society and denied treatment from their health insurers. To address the ignorance in our society surrounding eating disorders and improve how we care from those who suffer, I recently introduced the Federal Response to Eliminate Eating Disorders (FREED) Act, H.R. 2101. This legislation will improve prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of eating disorders by expanding critical research aimed at better understanding anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and other eating disorders. This desperately needed research will be used to improve treatment outcomes and to develop a more accurate understanding of the true impact of eating disorders on our families and our economy. Finally, the FREED Act will prevent discrimination against those with eating disorders by requiring insurance companies to offer the same level of coverage for eating disorders that they offer for physical illnesses. When insurance companies deny claims for eating disorders patients are unable to maintain the intensive treatment required to manage their recovery. It is time for Americans with eating disorders to be able to seek treatment without the fear of stigma and without the threat of denied claims by their insurers. Protecting the health of all Americans will continue to be a top priority of mine in Congress. I will be sure to keep you updated on my efforts to advance the FREED Act in the House of Representatives. Kind regards,
Ted Deutch
|
No comments:
Post a Comment