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The Difficulty with Insurance Coverage for OSFED Treatment
Contributor: Leigh Bell, BA, writer for Eating Disorder Hope
When thinking of eating disorders, most of us quickly consider anorexia or bulimia, and even binge-eating disorder; however, the most commonly diagnosed eating disorder in adults and teenagers is in none of these categories.
The Statistics on OSFED
OSFED, or other specified feeding and eating disorders, accounts for most (about 30%) of all eating disorder diagnoses. A person with the illness has some or many symptoms of other eating disorders but doesn’t meet full diagnostic criteria necessary for the specific eating disorder.
Like most eating disorders, OSFED is challenging to treat, and adding to the difficulty, is seeking insurance coverage for treatment of the illness, which some incorrectly consider less serious because not all diagnostic criteria are present.
The OSFED diagnosis also groups together people with very different symptoms into the same category, making specialized care and conducting research difficult. [1]
“Unfortunately, the pervasive myth that (OSFED) was somehow less severe than anorexia or bulimia sometimes prevented people who fit into this category from seeking help, or insurance companies from covering costs.” (Thomas, 2013).
Treating OSFED
The most effective way to treat OSFED is to follow treatments recommended for the eating disorder that most closely resembles the individual’s eating problem. [2] For example, even if someone doesn’t meet all the criteria for bulimia but is still bingeing and purging, treatment approaches should be those recommended for bulimia.
OSFED includes many manifestations of the illness, but the Diagnostic Statistical Manual or DSM, lists these:
- Atypical Anorexia Nervosa, or food restriction without low weight or loss of menstruation
- Bulimia Nervosa (of low frequency and/or limited duration)
- Binge Eating Disorder (of low frequency and/or limited duration)
- Purging Disorder
- Night Eating Syndrome
An unfortunate but pervasive myth is that OSFED is less severe than, say, anorexia or bulimia simply; but in fact, OSFED may be the most dangerous eating disorder. The first large-scale examination of mortality in individuals in this unspecified category of eating disorders shows OSFED is as deadly as anorexia, which has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. [3]
Researchers of this examination found rude mortality rates were 4.0% for anorexia nervosa, 3.9% for bulimia nervosa, and 5.2% for OSFED, which is actually higher than anorexia.
“The common perception of eating disorder not otherwise specified as a “less severe” eating disorder thus seems unwarranted,” wrote researchers of the examination.
Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!
What has been your experience with obtaining insurance coverage for OSFED? What advice do you have to share?
About the Author: Leigh Bell holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in Creative Writing and French from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She is a published author, journalist with 15 years of experience, and a recipient of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism. Leigh is recovered from a near-fatal, decade-long battle with anorexia and the mother of three young, rambunctious children.
References:
[1]: Thomas, J. J. (2014, August 21). Goodbye EDNOS, Hello OSFED – Jenni Schaefer. Retrieved January 12, 2016.[2]: Eating Disorders Explained – OSFED. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nedc.com.au/osfed on January 14, 2016.
[3]: Crow, S. J., Peterson, C. B., Swanson, S. A., Raymond, N. C., Specker, S., Eckert, E. D., & Mitchell, J. E. (2009). Increased mortality in bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders.
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on March 17, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com
