Enews from Washington August 17, 2001

E-News from Washington August 17, 2001Vol. 01-20

As you know from a previous E-News from Washington, on August 2, 2001, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee unanimously approved S. 543, the Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act. The bill, sponsored by Senators. Paul Wellstone (D-MN) and Pete Domenici (R-NM), requires health insurers that offer mental health coverage to provide coverage on par to those for physical illnesses. Although we are in a strong position following HELP Committee approval, we still have much work to do in the House of Representatives. The full Senate is expected to consider S. 543 in September.

CURRENT LAW:

Parity legislation is expected to move soon because the Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) of 1996 will sunset (expire) on September 30, 2001. This federal law prohibits discriminatory annual and lifetime dollar caps for mental health benefits as compared to medical and surgical benefits.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

AMHCA members and others interested in this issue should call or write targeted Republican House members to urge co-sponsorship of H.R. 162, the mental health parity bill sponsored by Representative Marge Roukema ("ROCK-uh-ma"). At the end of this alert is a list of targeted Republicans who serve on four key House committees: Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Appropriations, and Education and the Workforce.

H.R. 162 is cosponsored by 155 members, but only 21 of those cosponsors are Republicans. We need to increase the number of Republican cosponsors so that the Roukema bill is seen in the same bipartisan light as the Wellstone-Domenici bill.

TO CALL:

* Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your Representative's office.

MESSAGE: "I am calling to urge the Representative to cosponsor H.R. 162, the Roukema mental health parity bill. This legislation will help those who are affected by substance abuse and mental disorders by banning arbitrary limits on needed services."

TO WRITE:

AMHCA has prepared a draft sample letter for you to send to your Representative to request their co-sponsorship of H.R. 162. If you don't know who your Representative is, visit AMHCA's website at www.amhca.org and click on the Public Policy button. In the Zip and Go section, type in your zip code. A screen with the federal elected officials for your state will appear.

SAMPLE LETTER TO MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

(Your letterhead)

Date

The Honorable (insert full name of Representative)

U. S. House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representative (Last Name):

I am writing to express my strong support for H.R. 162, the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Amendments, and to request your co-sponsorship of this bill. As a constituent and a mental health counselor, I want to convey to you the importance of this legislation to the millions of Americans who suffer from mental illness and substance abuse disorders and to the health professionals who provide their care.

H.R. 162 would prohibit health insurance plans from imposing different inpatient hospital day and outpatient visit limits or applying different deductibles, co-payments and other financial requirements for mental health and substance abuse services than for other health services. The legislation builds on an existing landmark law - the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 - which required that annual and lifetime benefits for mental illness are equal to those for physical disorders. In addition, H.R. 162 repeals the sunset provision in the current law, allowing it to remain in effect permanently. Actuarial analyses and data from states with parity laws demonstrate that equitable insurance coverage for substance abuse and mental illnesses is indeed affordable. Equally important is the overwhelming evidence that indicates that parity saves considerable resources because people with access to mental health services demonstrate increased productivity and decreased absenteeism, resulting in reduced expenditures for businesses and government.

The 107th Congress, with enactment of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Amendments, has the opportunity to end discriminatory insurance coverage for the mentally ill. As the current federal parity law is set to expire on September 30, 2001, it is imperative that Congress acts on parity legislation without further delay.

Thank you for considering my views on this issue. If you need additional information about mental health counselors or mental health parity, please feel free to contact Beth Powell, Director of Public Policy and Professional Issues, at the American Mental Health Counselors Association at 703-548-6002, ext. 105. I look forward to your favorable reply.

Sincerely,

Your name (and credentials)

****************************************************************************

***********************************

HOUSE REPUBLICAN TARGETS

Alabama- Robert Aderholt, Sonny Callahan

Arizona- J.D. Hayworth, Jim Kolbe, John Shadegg

California- Mary Bono, Christopher Cox, Randy "Duke" Cunningham, John

Doolittle, Wally Herger, Jerry Lewis, Howard "Buck" McKeon, George

Radanovich, Bill Thomas

Colorado- Scott McInnis, Bob Schaffer, Thomas Tancredo

Connecticut- Nancy Johnson

Delaware- Mike Castle

Florida- Michael Bilirakis, Mark Foley (cosponsor), Ric Keller, Dan

Miller,

E. Clay Shaw, Cliff Stearns, C.W. Bill Young

Georgia- Mac Collins, Nathan Deal, Johnny Isakson, Jack Kingston, Charlie

Norwood

Indiana- Steve Buyer, Mark Souder

Illinois- Judy Biggert, Phil Crane, Ray LaHood, John Shimkus, Jerry Weller

Iowa- Greg Ganske, Tom Latham, Jim Nussle

Kansas- Todd Tiahrt

Kentucky- Ernie Fletcher, Ron Lewis, Anne Northup, Harold Rogers, Ed

Whitfield

Louisiana- Jim McCrery, Bill Tauzin, David Vitter

Maryland- Robert Ehrlich (cosponsor)

Michigan- Dave Camp, Vernon Ehlers, Peter Hoekstra, Joe Knollenberg, Fred

Upton

Minnesota- Jim Ramstad (cosponsor)

Mississippi- Charles Pickering, Roger Wicker

Missouri- Roy Blunt, Jo Ann Emerson, Kenny Hulshof

Nebraska- Tom Osborne, Lee Terry

New Hampshire- Charles Bass, John Sununu

New Jersey- Rodney Frelinghuysen (cosponsor), Marge Roukema (sponsor)

New Mexico- Joe Skeen, Heather Wilson

New York- Vito Fossella, Amo Houghton, John Sweeney, James Walsh

cosponsor)

North Carolina- Cass Ballenger, Richard Burr, Charles Taylor

Ohio- John Boehner, Paul E. Gillmor, David Hobson, Rob Portman, Ralph

Regula, Patrick Tiberi

Oklahoma- Ernest Istook, Steve Largent, Wes Watkins

Oregon- Greg Walden

Pennsylvania- Philip English (cosponsor), James Greenwood, John Peterson,

Joseph Pitts, Todd Platts (cosponsor), Don Sherwood

South Carolina- Jim DeMint, Lindsey Graham

Tennessee- Ed Bryant, Van Hilleary, Zach Wamp

Texas- Joe Barton, Henry Bonilla (cosponsor), Kevin Brady, John Culberson,

Tom DeLay, Kay Granger, Sam Johnson

Virginia- Thomas Davis, Virgil Goode, Bob Goodlatte, Frank Wolf

Washington- Jennifer Dunn, George Nethercutt

Wisconsin- Thomas Petri, Paul Ryan

Wyoming- Barbara Cubin

Note: Those who are already cosponsors have been marked on the list below.

Those members should be thanked for their visible support of mental health

parity.

The information provided on this website should not be construed as advice or instruction on specific mental health or medical conditions or for specific mental health referrals. It is intended as an informational tool only. You should consult a healthcare professional regarding health issues and advice on treatment. To view our complete disclaimer CLICK HERE.