Parity Bill Passed by U.S. House of Representatives March 6, 2008
In a major victory for addiction treatment and recovery advocates, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would mandate that insurers cover addiction and mental illness on par with other illnesses."We've waited 12 long years for this historic day," said Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), co-chair of the Congressional Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus with Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.). "I am grateful that the House has taken this important step to end the discrimination against people who need treatment for mental illness and chemical addiction."
"The House voted 268 to 148 in favor of H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. "Illness of the brain must be treated like illness anywhere else in the body," said Pelosi, who called the Wellstone Act "a comprehensive bill to help end discrimination against those who seek treatment for mental illness.
"The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 is the right solution to ending insurance discrimination facing people with alcohol and drug problems and their families," said Merlyn Karst, chair of the Faces & Voices of Recovery Board of Directors.
Unlike the Senate bill, for example, the House legislation requires that out-of-plan addiction and mental-health treatment be covered by insurers if plans do so for other illnesses, and that insurers include coverage of all illnesses listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the "bible" of the mental-health field. That's the same standard used in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.
As printed in the Join Together Newsletter, News FeatureBy Bob Curley
In a major victory for addiction treatment and recovery advocates, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would mandate that insurers cover addiction and mental illness on par with other illnesses."We've waited 12 long years for this historic day," said Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), co-chair of the Congressional Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus with Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.). "I am grateful that the House has taken this important step to end the discrimination against people who need treatment for mental illness and chemical addiction."
"The House voted 268 to 148 in favor of H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. "Illness of the brain must be treated like illness anywhere else in the body," said Pelosi, who called the Wellstone Act "a comprehensive bill to help end discrimination against those who seek treatment for mental illness.
"The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 is the right solution to ending insurance discrimination facing people with alcohol and drug problems and their families," said Merlyn Karst, chair of the Faces & Voices of Recovery Board of Directors.
Unlike the Senate bill, for example, the House legislation requires that out-of-plan addiction and mental-health treatment be covered by insurers if plans do so for other illnesses, and that insurers include coverage of all illnesses listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the "bible" of the mental-health field. That's the same standard used in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.
As printed in the Join Together Newsletter, News FeatureBy Bob Curley
2 comments:
What sorts of treatment would be covered or partially covered by insurance? Would it be only outpatient?
Their goal is to have all illnesses mentioned in the DSM (Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)covered in the same way as other physical illnesses. I take this to mean in that both inpatient & outpatient addiction treatmentent would be covered. We will have to stay tuned as the debate is now in the hands of the Senate. Please see the follow-up article just posted on our website & thanks for your interest!
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