The fight for adequate mental health coverage can feel overwhelming, especially when insurance companies deny care that clinicians deem necessary. Joe Feldman turned his personal battle into a mission when his child's residential treatment was denied coverage through fabricated documentation. After winning a federal lawsuit, he created Cover My Mental Health to help others navigate the same challenging landscape.
At the heart of Feldman's approach is understanding the critical disconnect between what insurance companies call "medically necessary" and what clinicians know as "generally accepted standards." This gap allows insurers to deny appropriate care while claiming to follow policy guidelines. Through Cover My Mental Health, Feldman provides powerful resources that help bridge this divide by empowering clinicians to document their expertise and treatment decisions effectively.
The podcast explores broader issues in mental health coverage, including the troubling difference between physical health treatment (covered through recovery) and mental health care (often only covered through stabilization). Feldman challenges the economic arguments against comprehensive coverage, noting how some industries have already recognized the value of fully funding treatment programs and seeing remarkable outcomes.
Ready to advocate for better mental health coverage? Visit covermymentalhealth.org for free resources, templates, and tools designed to help you overcome insurance obstacles and access the care you or your loved ones deserve. Together, we can push for a system that values recovery, not just crisis stabilization.
