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E-News from Washington Vol.04-11 April 30, 2004
Second Anniversary of Bush Call for Mental Health Parity

Contact the White House Now

On April 2, as a subscriber to E-News from Washington, you received a legislative alert on S. 486, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act, asking you to contact your Senators to urge prompt consideration of this important legislation. In a subsequent e-mail, AMHCA provided you with a sample letter to send to your Senators on the bill. This alert will focus on the White House, where pressure is needed to ensure that the Bush Administration knows that the passage of mental health parity legislation is a top priority.

April 29th marked the two-year anniversary of President Bush’s call on Congress to pass mental health parity legislation. During the President’s speech at the University of New Mexico, he stated, “Our country must make a commitment. Americans with mental illness deserve our understanding and they deserve excellent care. They deserve a health system that treats their illness with the same urgency as a physical illness.” We need to remind the president of his commitment and let him know that the American public believes health insurance should provide equal treatment of mental illnesses. 

A recently released national poll found that 83% of the American public believes that insurance policies should provide equal of greater coverage for mental illnesses. In addition, 78% believe that placing routine limits on mental health benefits and requiring people to pay more out-of-pocket expenses for heir mental health care is unfair (Public Opinion Strategies for Coalition for Fairness in Mental Illness Coverage).

What You Can Do 

Despite broad support for this legislation (69 cosponsors in the Senate and 245 in the House of Representatives), mental health parity legislation is stalled in Congress. Please call or e-mail the White House and urge the President to reach out to congressional leaders to pass the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act. 

Call the White House Comment Line: 202-456-1111

E-mail the White House via Web-based e-mail: https://sawho14.eop.gov/PERSdata/intro.htm

Message:

Two years ago, President Bush declared his support for mental health parity legislation and pledged to work with Congress. Despite broad congressional support, this legislation is stalled. I am asking President Bush to press congressional leaders to pass the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act. Parity is a fair and affordable solution to insurance discrimination that will save lives and families. This issue is extremely important to me as a mental health counselor and as a voter.”

Beth Powell
Director, Public Policy and Professional Issues
American Mental Health Counselors Association
801 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 304
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Phone: 800-326-2642, ext. 105
Phone: 703-548-6002, ext. 105
Fax: 703-548-4775
Website: www.amhca.org