Hypertension is the most widely-recognized medical condition, which is the leading cause of death that insurers refuse to provide coverage for. Healthcare reform before the PPACA was enacted took a toll on Americans, resulted in the denial of coverage by insurance companies for pre-existing conditions. Insurers had the jurisdiction of charging a higher premium or rejecting benefits for pre-existing conditions. Individuals with mental health issues often spend thousands of dollars or more each year than mentally-healthy Americans. Therefore, those patients with a pre-existing condition consistently utilized a larger amount of money every year than those without any health …show more content…
The research question for this study is: What are the predominate issues in the published literature regarding mental health disparities in access to healthcare and insurance prior to and after the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)? Since the full implementation of the PPACA in 2013, have these disparities and access issues been resolved? The ultimate purpose is to determine if mental health is improving due to more or better access to healthcare and insurance in today’s society. Expanding awareness will stabilize future programs and provide a way for people in communities to take initiative and improve their health. The two biggest problems in the healthcare system are the financial disparities for mental and physical health services and the strict requirements for a prior authorization from insurers before an individual can receive mental health