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Victory
on Parity!
October 3, 2008
By a vote of 263-171, the House this afternoon gave final approval
to the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction
Equity Act of 2008 as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization
Act (HR 1424). President Bush is expected to sign the legislation
late today or early tomorrow.
A Triumph for Consumers and Families
This victory in the House ends a nearly 20 year effort to require
group health plans to cover treatment for mental illness on the
same terms and conditions as all other illnesses. NAMI is extremely
grateful for the tireless work of advocates from all over the nation
that contacted their Senators and House members to push for this
landmark legislation. The advocacy voice of people living with mental
illness and their families made a tremendous difference in securing
this long sought victory.
NAMI also salutes the leadership of the sponsors of parity in Congress
including Senators Pete Domenici (R-NM), Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA),
Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Representatives
Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN). Today NAMI also remembers
the contributions of the late Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN) in bringing
parity forward. After nearly 20 years, their efforts have resulted
in mental illness treatment no longer being subject to 2nd class
status in our health care system.
What
Happens Next?
President Bush is expected to sign HR 1424 very quickly in order
to restore confidence in sagging credit markets. The parity law
becomes effective 1-year after enactment of the bill. This will
mean that group health plans will no longer be able to impose limits
on inpatient days or outpatient visits or require higher deductibles
or cost sharing for mental illness or addiction treatment that are
not also applied to all other medical-surgical coverage.
There
is a special effective date rule for collective bargaining agreements
that would delay imposition of the parity requirements until the
next collective bargaining contract goes into effect. The law requires
that the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Treasury
issue regulations within 1 year, although failure to issue such
regulations will not delay the effective date of parity.
In
the coming weeks, NAMI will be developing educational materials
and guidelines on how parity will impact insurance coverage for
consumers and families. For now, NAMI advocates can celebrate a
landmark achievement!
NAMI Applauds Bipartisan Mental Illness Insurance Parity
Bill
Statement of Michael J. Fitzpatrick, Executive Director
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
October 3, 2008
NAMI is proud to support the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act
of 2008 (HR 1424) and the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health
Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (HR 6983) that is included
in this important bill.
NAMI is the nation's largest organization representing individuals
and families who live with serious mental illness. For 20 years,
NAMI has fought for health insurance parity laws to ensure that
employer health plans offer equitable coverage for medical illnesses
such as major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and severe
anxiety disorders.
This historic legislation is a victory for millions of Americans
living with mental illnesses who face unfair discrimination in co-payments,
doctor’s visits and hospital stays. The bill will require
group health insurance plans to cover mental illness and substance
abuse disorders on the same terms and conditions as other illnesses.
Once signed into law, Americans now will be able to get treatment
when they need it.
NAMI is profoundly grateful to the bipartisan leadership on this
important issue and thanks Representatives Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)
and Jim Ramstad (R-MN), as well as Senators Pete Domenici (R-NM),
Ted Kennedy (D-MA), and Mike Enzi (R-WY), for their commitment in
sponsoring the legislation.
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