Loss of insurance is a frequent occurrence for individuals experiencing early psychosis, according to a report in the August issue of Psychiatric Services. Among 31 patients enrolled in a special community program for early psychosis who had public or private insurance at baseline, just 14 maintained continuous coverage for a full year.
This finding is troubling because recent research indicates that reducing the duration of untreated acute psychosis is critical to long-term outcome, so loss of insurance—which can mean delay or discontinuation of treatment—can be devastating.
For information about rapid treatment of early psychosis see Psychiatric News, http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/43/13/13.1.full. And for comprehensive clinical information about treatment of schizophrenia see Essentials of Schizophrenia, published this year by American Psychiatric Press. Purchasing information is available at www.appi.org/.