Kentucky health providers call for insurance changes for eating disorder treatment

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Eating disorders take a major toll on the people suffering from them, but it's not easy for people in Kentucky looking for help.

Kentucky's Eating Disorder Council presented on the lack of care issue Tuesday in Frankfort during a Banking and Insurance joint committee meeting.

"In our state right now, there are zero acute care programs, zero residential and zero partial hospitalization programs," said Melissa Cahill, chair of Kentucky's Eating Disorder Council. "So anyone diagnosed with this illness that needs a higher level of care than outpatient — they are required to go out of state. That is their only option."

The lack of local access can mean dire consequences for the 900,000 people in Kentucky with an eating disorder, more than 29,000 of which are children.

"Delays in treatment, the child is simply going to have a downward spiral," said Dr. Andrea Krause with Norton Children's Hospital. "That can be with worsening behaviors and weight loss that goes with it. So by the time they see me, they are near death. And so my job is to medically stabilize them."

Krause said Norton Children's Hospital has seen a two-fold increase in 2021 in hospitalizations for eating disorders.

"I would say these kids are sicker than ever and I believe it's due to lack of access in care in the commonwealth," she said.

The council said in its first year of work, it found insurance companies are the biggest reason behind the lack of care.

"Insurance will not cover eating disorder treatment adequately," said Dr. Cheri Levinson, executive director of the Louisville Center for Eating Disorders.

It's a problem Levinson knows all too well.

"The situation that we've been running into is that we have been ready to offer a partial hospital program and open the first partial hospital program in the state," she said. "We've been ready for the past year and we haven't been able to because insurance providers will not give us a sustainable rate."

Eating disorders require specialized care that costs $20,000 a month on average, according to the council. Members said low reimbursement rates create a lack of providers, and the cost of out-of-state or out-of-network treatment is unmanageable for many in need of care.

They also find many insurance companies don't have proper criteria for eating disorder treatment and do not take into account the complexity of these illnesses. Treatment can require specialized physicians, therapists or dietitians.

"It is evident that Kentucky must change some of its mental health insurance laws," Cahill said.

"Insurance is dictating the care that we're able to deliver our patients," Levinson added. "What I would really like to see is legislation that takes that out of the insurance companies' hands and allows doctors to be doctors and to provide the best care that they can."

The council suggested legislative changes should include improving reimbursement rates and creating incentives to bring more providers to Kentucky. Time will tell if these ideas progress into law, but Levinson believes the conversation Tuesday marked a huge step forward in this issue.

She added that if someone is struggling with an eating disorder or knows someone who is, reach out for help.

"There is help available," she said. "As limited as options are, there are people out there who can help. And really, the biggest barrier is just taking that first step and asking for help."

If people do need help, they can find contact for Louisville's eating disorder center HERE.