Dr. O'Toole's Blog

Will healthcare reform affect eating disorder treatment?

Apr 19 2010 - 5:03pm

The answer is, without a doubt, a resounding Yes. Whatever the collective merits of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Obama on March 23, its impact on eating disorder treatment for children and young adults promises to be highly significant, and overwhelmingly positive. [For the record, Kartini Clinic has been a vocal proponent of healthcare reform; we don't think this Act will solve every problem - in fact it may cause some of its own - but on balance we believe it to be an essential first step towards much needed comprehensive reform.

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Arguments for timely and effective eating disorder treatment

Mar 31 2010 - 5:50pm

Anyone with any experience - personal or professional - of eating disorders will know the lengths individuals or families often have to go to get proper treatment. I speak on a daily basis to families battling insurance companies and/or employers (in the cases of "self-funded" in insurance plans). And even if some coverage for treatment is forthcoming, maintaining adequate treatment until remission is gained is often more difficult.

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Fighting Denied Claims Requires Perseverance

Feb 8 2010 - 7:33pm

I often have to counsel families to appeal denied claims, especially from mental health insurers who are hired by larger health plans to "administer" mental health benefits. In my experience they are there to deny claims, rather than coordinate care, facilitate access to treatment, or assist families to select appropriate providers (other than those providers who are contracted with that insurer). That would actually be useful.

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Health Insurance Reform - Time to Speak Out

Jan 22 2010 - 5:06pm

Dear Kartini Families -

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Healthcare Reform and You

Jul 6 2009 - 11:09am

[editor's note: from time to time I invite other staff members to write about issues I think may be of interest to our families. This week's guest blog is written by Morgan O'Toole, and concerns healthcare reform, specifically the possibility of a "public option" health insurance plan, a topic currently much in the news. He adds his own two cents' worth here. In the interests of full disclosure I should point out that Morgan is my son, and is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Clinic's business office. - JOT]