Without Medicaid expansion, many Oklahomans with mental health issues will go untreated, experts say
By Jaclyn Cosgrove, The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
For Kraft, it's a reminder of what he could be, what he wants to be.
Although historians don't agree across the board on how he suffered, it's documented that Lincoln suffered some form of chronic depression.
For Kraft, that's a motivator.
Kraft is one of an estimated 122,000 Oklahomans with mental health issues who would have qualified for
Kraft, 26, of
"According to the Affordable Care Act's (marketplace), I signed up and went through that process, and they said I would qualify for state
Gov.
"Mental health is a huge priority for
'Coverage gap'
Under
In almost 30 states that are implementing
Because the Affordable Care Act envisioned low-income people receiving coverage through expanded
Kraft currently is uninsured and has no income. Because of his depression and anxiety, Kraft has had trouble keeping a job.
He has tried, working as a cashier, an overnight grocery stocker, an employee at
Until he turned 26, Kraft was covered under his mother's health insurance.
His mother,
"There's times where we wonder if we're going to make it to the end of the month, with me being the only income," she said. "The medicines and doctor visits and stuff -- it's hard."
The numbers
Meanwhile,
The majority of adults -- about 70 percent -- who need treatment do not get it, according to the state's mental health agency.
Many Oklahomans with mental illnesses will continue to wait in long lines and, when in crises, seek care in emergency rooms, the most inefficient and expensive form of treatment, Brose said. Additionally,
"Our very, very low-income, most vulnerable people will continue to do without, or if they do get sick enough, they'll be admitted to a hospital, and the taxpayer and those of us who pay premiums will have to underwrite that fee because no one is there to pay for it," Brose said.
Understanding illness
Since being diagnosed about six years ago,
But there are plenty of good days, too. Kraft has restarted college, taking courses at
In the meantime, he hopes to help people understand mental illness and what it means to have chronic depression.
"It's a feeling of hopelessness, loneliness, unhappiness," he said. "You don't really fit anywhere in particular in the world; you don't know what you're here for -- it sucks, I'll just be honest with you."
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