Declarations

I recently tried to apply for life insurance. I am a person who experiences bipolar disorder and OCD and had always been told that I was ineligible for life insurance. Recently, however, I heard that some insurers would consider me as a candidate.

I thought that I would surprise my husband and apply for life insurance. I would like to be able to leave him with a little money in case of my death, to cover expenses. This is the wish of the average American, to have adequate life insurance coverage for their loved ones. I am not now, nor have I ever been suicidal. I have never been hospitalized for reasons related to my mental health.

I contacted an agent who represents several carriers and who had solicited me online. I did not tell anyone about my plan, because I wasn’t certain I would qualify. I had to fill out a pile of paper work and submit to medical tests, which I find very stressful. I was upfront about my medical history and was told that my bipolar disorder might raise my premiums, but would not necessarily block me from receiving insurance. The submission process took four months, with several emails from the insurer requiring more information.

Finally, I received a call last week telling me that I had been rejected “because of my eating disorder.”

I do not have an eating disorder. I have never been diagnosed, nor treated, for an eating disorder at any time. I went to see my psychiatrist, who confirmed that there is no past record, nor current diagnosis, of an eating disorder in my files. This was not the diagnosis of my general practitioner, nor the two gastro doctors and the internist, I saw in Columbus.

I have been physically ill for the last year and did seek attention from several specialists who ruled out a number of illnesses. Each doctor passed me along to another for more tests, until I ended up at the Cleveland Clinic. There I was subjected to another battery of tests, until my gastroenterologist admitted that she did not know what was wrong with me, and suggested I see a neurologist to address the other, non-gastric symptoms.

Somewhere along the way, someone decided that my symptoms included “psychogenic vomiting.” This archaic term means that I am vomiting by choice. Psychogenic: (1) Of mental origin or causation.psychogenetic. (2) Relating to emotional and related psychological development or to psychogenesis. A phrase I hear all too often –“it’s all in my head.”

This change in diagnosis (and attitude), came after the local neurologist, who I saw in January of 2010, saw my medical history. This is not the first time this has happened. The doctor at the Cleveland Clinic was very dismissive after she learned of my psychiatric history. I have walked away from this process feeling angry and exploited.

Time and time again, I am frustrated by medical personnel who only see me as a mental illness diagnosis, not as a person. Everything I say immediately becomes suspect, I must be delusional and unreliable. My physical illness must be a result of my mental condition. If I have questions about my treatment, I am oppositional. Every thing I say or do confirms their diagnosis that I am simply crazy. My psychiatrist is never consulted.

The first time I visited an E.R. after my initial bipolar disorder diagnosis, I was experiencing severe vomiting and dehydration. I was confronted by a doctor who had not learned that patients with mental illness are not deaf, nor unable to speak for themselves. Once he had seen my medication list, that doctor spoke only to my husband, not to me, and assumed that I was unable to make my own health care decisions. He later spoke to my sister (a hospital employee, who did not know about my illness), and asked her how long I “had been crazy?” When I was admitted, my physician made notes to my record commenting that my mental illness was a basis for not consulting me on my treatment, although there was no indication of inappropriate behavior on my part. My own physician was never consulted, and I was denied access to all of my regularly prescribed medication for four days, resulting in serious physical withdrawl.

On another visit to the ER caused by a medication-induced seizure, my explanation was met with disbelief. I was suspected of drug-seeking behavior and a lack of judgment. It was not until my sister, a hospital administrator, was called, that her authority changed the attitude of the staff.

Incidents like these are not, unfortunately, uncommon. I hear about them from consumers every day. Insist that your care provider speak to you directly and include you in creating your health care plan. I recommend that everyone who experiences mental illness carry a list of all medications with them and a copy of your Mental Health Advanced Directive.

A Mental Health Advance Directive offers a clear written statement of an individual's medical treatment preferences or other expressed wishes or instructions. It can also be used to assign decision-making authority to another person who can act on that person's behalf during times of incapacitation.

I plan to appeal the decision to deny my life insurance coverage. It has taught me an important lesson about keeping current on what is in my medical files. Learn from my experience and keep up to date on what is in your files.

--Kristen Frame
Compeer Coordinator

True Democracy

I recently had the honor of experiencing true democracy. In my role as Compeer Coordinator for Mental Health America of Licking County, I organized a community discussion designed to collect input that will be used to change our health care system.

Tom Daschle, the Secretary-designate of the Department of Health and Human Services on behalf of President-elect Obama, called for individuals and organizations to host what they called “Health Care Community Discussions” in their offices, community rooms, coffee shops and living rooms, between December 15 and December 31.

Despite the fact that this gave us very little time to prepare, we, at Mental Health America of Licking County, decided that this was a wonderful opportunity to share our opinions about the American health care system and how it can be improved. We knew that the experiences of our consumers make them experts and that this issue is too important for us not to share our opinions and ideas with those who will make these decisions.

We invited Compeer program members to a discussion about health care on the evening of December 30th at the Mental Health America offices at 65 Messimer Drive in Newark. We planned to discuss health care, including mental health care, and their experience and concerns.

Invitations were mailed out and, ironically, because several members were sick and unable to attend, only a small group came together to share their perspectives on this important topic. I, too, have been sick and several times considered canceling the event before it got off the ground. But the people who came were enthusiastic and committed to the project.

The discussion became animated as participants took turns describing the problems they had had paying medical bills and their frustrations with trying to find a new psychiatrist in a community where so many are leaving. I, myself, have had my last three psychiatrists quit, before I finally turned to a doctor in Westerville.

Public policy suggestions from the group included making it more affordable for doctors to attend medical school. Despite assistance from insurance, the high cost of prescription medication was another concern of the group. The conversation continued for 1 ½ hours, and although we did not solve the nation’s problems, and we were not all in agreement, there was a feeling of empowerment that came from the sense that someone was listening to you.

At the end of the meeting, a very brief survey was completed and the statements by the participants were collected and entered into the www.change.gov web page for inclusion in the final report.

Because I had registered the event in advance, in order to get the discussion manuals and information, I also received a follow-up query the next morning, asking how the event went and urging me to respond by the January 4th deadline, in order for the information to be passed on to the President-elect.

President-elect Obama says he wants to bring the voices and health care concerns of all Americans to Washington. On his behalf, I want to thank everyone who attended for participating in this discussion and helping to make this happen. For more information about this project, go to www.change.gov/

Compeer is a program of MHA. The program serves people who are recovering from a mental illness. Compeer recruits, screens, trains and matches volunteers in one-to-one friendship relationships with adults receiving mental illness treatment. Compeer volunteers become positive role models and mentors. They help raise self-esteem, increase social and communication skills and encourage independence of their Compeer friend aiding them in their recovery.

Compeer friends also meet for monthly socials. We enjoy socializing together, engaging with guest speakers, going bowling, and trying new things-like cooking.

If you are interested in joining Compeer as a friend or volunteer, or to learn more, please call Kristen Frame, Compeer Coordinator at (740) 345-5658.

Kristen Frame
Compeer Coordinator