It is estimated that 20 percent of Americans 55 or older experience a mental illness, although evidence shows that underreporting is prevalent. Further, suicide rates for older adults are higher than for any other age group. Despite the documented need for services, AoA found that older Americans are denied access to needed treatment for mental illness.
Stigma surrounding mental illness also prevents people from seeking treatment.
Modern medical advances have made treatment highly effective. Unfortunately, the lack of insurance coverage is keeping people from seeking treatment. New federal legislation proposes to require health plans to provide full insurance parity for people with serious brain disorders. In Ohio, representative Lynn Olman introduced H.B. 33, which would prohibit discrimination in coverage provided for the diagnosis, care and treatment of mental illness and substance abuse or addition in sickness and accident insurance policies and in private and public employer self-insurance plans.