Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007
Floor Speech
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to have the following letters of support for H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act, submitted for the record on the floor debate of this bill.
March 4, 2008.
Hon. NANCY PELOSI,
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Capitol Building, Washington, DC.
Hon. JOHN BOEHNER,
Republican Leader, House, Capitol Building, Washington, DC.
DEAR SPEAKER PELOSI AND LEADER BOEHNER: Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, urges you to support HR 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act, to prohibit insurance discrimination against 80 million Americans suffering from addiction and mental illness.
Over 25 million people need mental health and addiction treatment but are not getting it. Each year, 1.3 billion work days are lost due to mental disorders, more than arthritis, stroke, heart attack and cancer combined. Moreover, workers with untreated depression cost their employers $31 billion a year in lost productivity and workers with untreated alcoholism cost their employers $135 billion in lost productivity each year. The need for equity in health plans for the treatment of addiction and mental illness is well documented--14 field hearings were held around the country in 2007. The time to pass this legislation is now.
H.R. 1424, introduced by Representatives Patrick Kennedy and Jim Ramstad, has the support of the majority of the House with 273 cosponsors. Because of the critical nature of this legislation, we urge you to support HR 1424 and move it to the full floor for a vote as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
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National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities,
Alexandria, VA, March 2, 2008.
Hon. PATRICK KENNEDY,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
DEAR CONGRESSMAN KENNEDY: On behalf of the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities we write in strong support of the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007.
Research from the past 10 to 20 years has resulted in a fundamental change in the way mental illnesses are viewed and treated. We know now that people can improve and recover from many serious mental illnesses. Yet, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration's (SAMHSA) Resource Center to Address Discrimination Stigma Associated with Mental Illness (ADS Center), only 1 in 5 of children in need is receiving appropriate treatment. Two-thirds of the roughly 54 million Americans with mental illnesses do not receive treatment.
Your legislation provides equal treatment of mental health insurance benefits compared to medical and surgical benefits specifically with respect to cost sharing requirements, financial requirements, and treatment limitations. Without parity, millions of Americans will continue to go without groundbreaking treatment leading them to suffer more emotional pain, disability, and financial burden, and resulting in greater morbidity costs--the loss of productivity in usual activities.
As you work to move this legislation across the finish line, the Councils strongly support your efforts. Thank you for your leadership on this issue.
Sincerely,
Karen F. Flippo,
Chief Executive Officer.
Listening Sage Associates,
Santa Fe, NM.
Hon. PATRICK J. KENNEDY,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. JIM RAMSTAD,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
DEAR REPRESENTATIVES KENNEDY AND RAMSTAD: I am writing to urge House Members to vote YES on your bill H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health & Addiction Equity Act.
Insurance coverage has been grossly inadequate for mental health services and many families have not been able to afford services. Insurance companies often give false impressions about the real mental health benefits they offer. Often the client pays three fourths of the bill and the insurance company pays a small co-pay. This is unfair and dishonest. I hope your bill will be supported and passed. It needs to cut out the loop holes in former mental health acts.
Thank you for your leadership.
Sincerely,
LEONA STUCKY-ABBOTT.
National Association for the
Dually Diagnosed,
Kingston, NY, February 29, 2008.
Hon. PATRICK J. KENNEDY,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. JIM RAMSTAD,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
DEAR REPRESENTATIVES KENNEDY AND RAMSTAD: I am writing on behalf of the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD) to urge House Members to vote YES on your bill H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Addiction Equity Act.
Millions of American families who face structural discrimination against the mental health benefits in their health coverage will welcome passage of this legislation. It is designed to close loopholes in the 1996 Federal parity law that has too often been evaded. By requiring group health plans that provide mental health or substance use benefits to include them without different duration limits and financial requirements, this legislation will help people with mental disorders without a costly burden on employers.
We hope that House passage of your strong bipartisan bill will spur to completion the negotiations with the Senate on a bill that can become law this year. Further delay is not acceptable.
Thank you for your leadership on this important issue.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Fletcher,
Chief Executive Officer and Founder.
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