To the Editor of the Newsletter:
In early June 1972 the American Psychiatric Association began publication of a bulletin entitled “Equal Coverage for the Mentally Ill” which in effect was a position statement on national health insurance. The bulletin took the point of view that psychoanalysis and long-term psychotherapy should not be covered by national health insurance. Negotiations have succeeded in altering the sections involved, although not entirely to the satisfaction of concerned analysts and not before considerable potential damage was done.
In the wake of this event analysts have begun to consider the possibility of forming their own groups to influence the progress of such major issues as national health insurance and other legislation affecting the practice of psychoanalysis. Such a course has inherent difficulties.
As of this writing, the membership of the American Psychoanalytic Association is 1322 while that of the American Psychiatric Association is in the vicinity of 19,400. In the political arena, 1322 people, no matter how locally important, is an exceedingly small number to consider in national matters. It is extremely unlikely that a society with such a limited membership could wield the great amounts of influence necessary to be effective. It is within the potential of the American Psychiatric Association, however, with their close to 20,000 membership to exert sufficient amounts of influence.
Because of our limited numbers and the heavy investment of time and effort in the training of candidates and the proceedings of local analytic societies that many of our group are involved in, analysts have tended to have limited involvement in the affairs of local psychiatric societies and the American Psychiatric Association. Yet, if we are to hope to exert influence in these matters of vital importance to us, the psychiatric societies would seem to be the logical place … one where our leverage could be the greatest. It is in the interest of all of us that we become more involved in the proceedings of psychiatric societies and I would urge the members of the American Psychoanalytic Association to become more involved.
Edward I. Kushner, M.D.
President, Washington Psychiatric Society