My most recent BlogHer post. GO TO Blogher, there are lots of lovely ladies that have more better stuff to say than me.
Perhaps this has just been on my mind a lot lately, but I decided my post this week would be about mental health in Canada. Now how many of us need it or anything *whispering* lots, but more about what treatment is here. Specifically how I get treatment. I spent a lot of time on Google trying to find material comparing the two countries health care systems. Most of the Academic papers I found concluded that more studies needed to be done and “quality” can’t be “quantitative” anyhow. Excellent analysis. I did find one study that said Canadians were way crazy.
When perceived need was controlled for, most of the between country differences in use disappeared. CONCLUSIONS: The higher use of mental health services in the United States than in Ontario is mostly explained by the combination of a higher prevalence of mental morbidity and a higher prevalence of perceived need for care among persons with low mental morbidity in the United States.
- source.
I am obviously no expert. My Bachelor or Arts did not make me a statistician or medical professional. Something did occur to me when reading this study. Could it not be that Canadians don’t have a higher prevalence of mental morbidity, but free or subsidized mental health care? Of course, we also pay less for prescription medication. To see a psychiatrist in Canada is free, it is covered by each provinces health care plan. Mostly I see my psychiatrist for advice regarding my medications or if I am in crisis, I see her. That is how I am maintaining myself right now.
If I wanted to see a “talk therapist” or licensed Psychologist, I would have to pay out of pocket, or use my employer’s “supplementary heath insurance”. I admit I do not have any number on how many employers offer this, but I believe even working part-time at McDonalds here provides some supplementary benefits. You can also get such insurance privately or depending on your income or employment status the government might pay for all your prescriptions.
I am also Type 2 Diabetic and insulin dependent. I was trying to add up how much it would cost me to pay for my diabetic medication and the other meds I am on for the depression, etc etc. The stuff I take for anxiety is one dollar per pill, I take 3 a day. I take another pill for depression that is a dollar fifty a day, I take one. I take three other mental health related medications that I did not have a recent receipt for so I couldn’t give good numbers on those. The diabetic supplies, including insulin, insulin sensitizing medication, hypertension medication, needles to test my blood sugar with, pen needles for insulin I take at meals, one syringe for the insulin I take over night.
While lying in bed last night, I guessed it costs my insurance about $1500 dollars a month to keep me less depressed and less likely to loose a limb or my eyesight due to the neuropathy that often happens with diabetics. We do have to pay the dispensing fee that the Pharmacy charges, which is $7.00. I feel guilt about my high maintenance body and mind. I feel incredibly thankful for the Doctors that my country provides free and the medication I am lucky to procure via employer extended health insurance. They also pay for our dental care, massage, physiotherapy, psychologist visits, acupuncture, and other things I cannot recall, but there is a maximum amount you can spend on such things every year. Before I had my child, my work benefits were even better.
I guess what I wanted to achieve here is a snap shot of what it takes for me to manage, so you would know what I have to do. I am curious about what Americans have to go through in a similar situation, with or without employer insurance, as well and Canadians who do not have extended health benefits. I also wish everyone good health, but that is a given.
