I spent over three hours yesterday with the parents of an adult son with serious mental illness (SMI). He was doing okay on a treatment plan on Medi-Cal. Then Medi-Cal changed service providers and the new providers wouldn't cover his medication. They gave him pills they would pay for.
His psychiatrist wrote a request/demand letter stating his need for the original meds. It was denied. The psychiatrist wrote a second letter. It was accepted. The letter arrived at the parents house the day after their son ended his life. The day before the son had said, "I need the old script. These new pills aren't working for me."
I just love it when profit trumps patient care.
David is Executive Director of NAMI, Sacramento.
Photo Credit: Sorrow by Ali Amirkhizi
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