Mo. Senate endorses eating disorder bill

The measure requires insurance companies to cover eating disorders according to the American Psychiatric Association's Standards of Care guidelines for benefits beginning Jan. 1, 2017. Additionally, treatment cannot be based solely on weight, which is huge, said Annie Seal, Missouri Eating Disorder Association board president.

Often, insurance companies cover treatment only until the individual reaches 80 percent of his or her ideal body weight. This percentage isn't good for patients who are anorexic, but for those with bulimia, it's even worse. Because bulimics binge and purge, they can be a normal weight even when they're not healthy.

The bill does not, however, cover care from dieticians, an important aspect of treatment for sufferers.

"The biggest sticking point has been the inclusion of nutritional therapy," Seal said, adding that dieticians were not stipulated in the APA guidelines making it difficult to demand in the measure.

Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, questioned why insurance companies weren't already covering eating disorders.

The state's Department of Insurance previously told the Post-Dispatch that Missouri insurance companies already were required to cover eating disorders under the mental health parity law.

But the state-funded actuarial study identified a gap in care between what insurance usually covers and the American Psychiatric Association Standards of Care guidelines.

"This is just one of those bills (that) it's the right thing to do," said Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City.

The measure needs one more vote in the Senate before moving to the House.

The bill is Senate Bill 145.

Alex Stuckey -- 573-556-6186

@alexdstuckey on Twitter

astuckey@post-dispatch.com

___

(c)2015 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at www.stltoday.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC