What Could Happen To Mental Health Care Under The Trumpcare Plan?

It has been estimated that the number of Americans without a health care insurance would increase to a total of 52 million by 2026. The addition of the health care policy under the Trump government would be even more dramatic for those who need mental health care. While the American Health Care Act doesn’t technically repeal the Mental Health Act (MHPAEA), the GOP’s health plan would remove support for some mental and behavioral health services by 2020. In other words, the promise that Trump made to take care of those who are addicted to drugs, is void. His health care plan would end the Obamacare requirement to expand the health care program to include addiction services. The change in the coverage of mental health and substance addiction may be devastating, but it remains to unfold. According to a recent poll (February 2017) by the American Psychological Association, over half of the American population blame the current political climate for bringing additional stress to their lives. All things considered, the current Trumps administration doesn’t recognize mental health as a priority. Here is a possible scenario of what this could mean to you.

You Start In a Bad Place With Little Support

Under the Trumpcare plan, even the most common mental health issue, depression, could become increasingly difficult to tackle. For a start, mental health would be considered as an additional cover, that some might need to apply for. In other words, you may not be able to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your mood. You might even not be able to get access to professional support, especially if you can’t pay for it. In cases of persistent depressions, it isn’t uncommon for a doctor to consider the use of drugs and cognitive behavioral therapy to help the patient. However, without sufficient healthcare support, it is likely that most patients would prefer to stick to a drug-only treatment, as this would prove more affordable.

Do You Become A Criminal?

Unfortunately, the risk of choosing drug over therapy is that you may become more likely to develop an addiction. Drugs, even prescribed ones, become the only hope in a life of darkness. Consequently, it could easily escalate to drug possession and criminal drug abuse, forcing you to require the services of a drug offence attorney. When you think about it, there is no easy way out from depression if the Trumpcare plan makes it more difficult to receive non-drug based support. Drugs become the element that allows you to function daily and to fight the darkness of depression. Similarly, it is also the same element that drags you down and creates debilitating addictions.

Are You Left On Your Own?

It is fair to ask yourself whether there would be a way to tackle mental health disorders effectively under the Trumpcare plan. It is unlikely that, even if the plan goes through, there will not be any mental health support that would be available for those who need it. It may even come from a charity-based organization. At the heart of mental health, there’s the need for someone to listen and to provide emotional support for those who need it most. It is likely to imagine that this kind of support would still be around. However, it is hard to say whether it would be enough.