Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) was established by the U.S. Congress in 1990 in recognition of the National Federation for Mental Health’s (NAMI) longstanding efforts to increase awareness and understanding of mental illnesses. Every year, for the first full week in October, mental health advocates and organizations across the country join forces to sponsor an […]
Category Archives: Eating Disorders
BEDA Weight Stigma Awareness Week- Day 4: Recommit to Challenging Weight Bias
Today we encourage you to spend time considering the influence and impact of weight bias on yourself, the people you love, and those surrounding you. For example, how does weight discrimination drag the focus away from the self and emphasize superficial qualities, and how can we eliminate this bully from our lives? Today is dedicated […]
Kantor & Kantor Reflects on National Suicide Prevention Week
This week is National Suicide Prevention Week. We want to take a moment to reflect upon the devastating losses that so many loved ones have endured because of suicide. Suicide affects people of all walks of life and should not be taken lightly. It is an act of extreme desperation and depression, and should be […]
Eating Disorders on the Rise in Young Children
CNN reports that eating disorders are on the rise in young children. A study conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality showed that hospitalizations for eating disorders in children under 12 increased by 119% between 1999 and 2006. More recent numbers are unavailable, but experts say the problem isn’t getting any better.Awareness of […]
New Study Finds That Patients With Anorexia Overestimate Their Own Size
While it is not groundbreaking news in the eating disorder community that those suffering from anorexia have a distorted perception of self, providing this scientific evidence is a leap in the right direction. Professionals have been experiencing this type of distortion and body dysmorphia with their patients and clients for quite some time, and demonstrating […]
Why You Need to Know Your Policy
Save Those Envelopes!Our client is covered by an employer sponsored group plan based in New York. The Plan denied our client’s residential treatment for her anorexia based upon medical necessity. We submitted a timely appeal. On April 23, 2012, we received the Plan’s response denying the appeal based upon medical necessity. The appeal denial is […]
California Physicians Sue Aetna to Protect Policyholders’ Treatment Choices
In the first lawsuit of its kind, the California Medical Assn., three county medical groups, four surgery centers, more than 60 individual doctors, and one patient are suing insurer Aetna Inc. in Los Angeles Superior Court for threatening to deny benefits to policyholders who go “outside the network” for treatment, even though their policies allow […]
Insurance Companies’ Medical Necessity Guidelines/Criteria
For patients seeking treatment of a severe mental illness such as an eating disorder, you will have to research the medically appropriate treatment for your needs and treatment provider. What you probably will not be told until you file a claim or seek authorization for insurance benefits, is that insurance companies and administrators have their […]
Parity and Disparity Coast to Coast: A Case Study
Merriam-Webster defines par◦i◦ty as, “the quality or state of being equal or equivalent.” Derived from the Latin word for equal, paritas, its origin dates back to 1608. Such lineage, however, has done little to integrate the concept of parity into the vocabulary and mind set of the health insurance industry when it comes to approving […]
New Israeli Law Bans Underweight Models In Fashion Advertisements
The fashion industry has received much criticism for the apparent trend of employing seemingly thinner and thinner models in fashion advertisements. The resulting unrealistic body images are believed to shape eating habits among young women, who look to the models as representations of the “ideal body.” Accordingly, many believe the fashion industry has contributed significantly […]
