MED’s Donald Wexler says psych treatment for vets underfunded
MED’s Donald Wexler says psych treatment for vets underfunded
Because post-traumatic stress disorder is not considered a biologically based condition in Massachusetts, health care providers here can strictly limit the amount of treatment they provide, reports the Boston Herald October 23. This is a growing concern as increasing numbers of veterans of the Iraq war come home with serious mental issues, says Donald Wexler, an associate professor of psychiatry at the School of Medicine who specializes in PTSD.
“In other words, if you have PTSD and need weekly therapy, they can say we will cover 24 sessions a year and the rest has to come out of your pocket,” says Wexler. “It’s not enough. It’s an increasing problem.”