[anxiety247]

Why is it there is better mental health coverage when it comes to medicaid? Medicare coverage is just plain and simple AWFUL!!!!

[~Christina]

I get angry every time I think about this. I have Medicare and on disability.

So I pay a monthly premium for Medicare, Must pay my deductable every year and the 20% balance after Medicare pays its portion. Also more and more providers are optiong out of Medicare due to the low reimbursment....... and they are now only paying 65% of Therapy sessions instead of 80% ...

Last week someone on PC got rather nasty about my being on Medicare sating " You have it made" Wha? really? Seriously??? Helloooooooooooo I pay for that shyt

Yes I am glad that I do have insurance... but I have a huge amount of out of pocket expenses monthly and yearly.

[gayleggg]

Yes, Medicare is not a perfect system that's for sure. It's not a free ride for sure.

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[anxiety247]

@Christina - Yep more and more providers are opting out. Sad because what does that leave us with??? I mean why grant me a disability for mental health that has no coverage....

@gayleggg - Not looking for a free ride just equal access to services.

Read this from the Bezelon Law site that breaks differences between the two and its very sad for us on medicare to have no change at recovery.
Medicare
**Despite the rates of serious mental illness among Medicare beneficiaries, the program does not offer the full array of mental health benefits that are effective in helping people recover from mental illnesses. Therapy, medication management and partial hospitalization are covered, but other intensive services, such as psychiatric rehabilitation and case management, are not. A limited mental health benefit package deprives beneficiaries of the mental health services that are most needed to improve their functional health. Medicare coverage should be expanded so that it more appropriately meets the needs of beneficiaries with serious mental illnesses. ***

Medicaid
Federal Medicaid law allows states to cover a wide range of intensive community mental health services that are appropriate for adults with serious mental illnesses. It also mandates that states cover a similarly comprehensive array of community services for children. The program rules are complex, but the Bazelon Center has developed resources that provide information on the most relevant aspects of the program in terms of services to people with mental illnesses.

The Bazelon Center considers Medicaid the primary funding mechanism for public mental health systems (it is already the most significant payer). Unfortunately, many states have not taken full advantage of Medicaid options for adults and many have also restricted children’s access to the services to which they are entitled by failing to provide definitions that enable providers to readily bill for those services.

[pnw1]

Yup, I am on SSDI for Panic Disorder, PTSD and Major Depressive disorder. I have Medicare. I wish I had Medicaid. Not many doctors take Medicare and many local/ state programs only cater to those on Medicaid, not Medicare. I am happy to have something though.....

[Perna]

I guess it depends on the community. I would not want to use the community mental health centers around here that are available through Medicaid. Remember, only 13% of Medicare recipients are under 65 disabled. Those of us 65 and over are generally not dealing with psychiatric illness or wanting therapy as much as with chronic, age-related problems.

https://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files...fact-sheet.pdf

[ensconce]

Medicaid may sound better for many that pay but like I said in another thread many doctors aren't even accepting medicaid patients any longer. Some doctors have so many patients you sit in a room full of people for your turn then go in a few minutes and that's it. Most doctors left that still accept are far, have tons of patients, and just graduated or don't have much experience. Although this is not the case all the time there are some docs that are far that have lots of experience but again they don't have the time to talk about everything that you have experienced.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I have Medicaid right now and I KNOW how blessed I am. I have been grateful since I got it. But I switch to medicare come November and its going to be hard adjusting to it.

[Lemonpledge]

I have share of costs medicaid and it sucks because my amount is 2000. So I have to have a medical bill come to that amount before regular medicaid kicks in. I really need therapy and would literally go insane without it. Even though people already think that. I do what I have to do and because of it have been diagnosed with conversion disorder.

[Ellenjan]

I felt the same way guys, the issue's of medicare still not getting better. And I they well make a change specially a lot uses medicare.

[Ellenjan]

Medicare and Medicaid are both government programs that help pay for health care but the costs, benefits, and eligibility requirements are different. And it depends on their services of individual community.