Like most days that go unmarked by a mental illness-related tragedy, the topic of the mentally ill went completely unnoticed and was not mentioned during the first presidential debate last week in Denver. But it’s one that affects many Americans – many who could be at risk if Mitt Romney wins the presidency and lives up to his vow to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
An estimated 26.2 American adults suffer from a mental illness in any given year – approximately one in four adults. About 6 percent of adults in the United States suffer from a serious mental illness. Still, mental health care has not always been covered by insurers, and patients with serious mental illnesses may have difficulty remaining employed, making it difficult to maintain insurance coverage. But the Obama administration’s efforts on health care reform could make a difference.
