Passage of Mental Health Parity Law Should Be a Top Priority

National Mental Health Association
Thursday, 27 February 2003

Statement by Michael Faenza, NMHA President and CEO

Congress and the Administration must make the enactment of The Senator Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2003 a top priority for this year.

Today's introduction in the Senate and House of mental health parity legislation named for the late Sen. Wellstone highlights the glaring discrimination in health insurance that still routinely confronts people in need of mental health care.

President Bush put an important spotlight on this inequity last April when he called for full mental health parity and stated that "health plans should not be allowed to apply unfair treatment limitations or financial requirements on mental health benefits." We urge the President to call on congressional leaders to make that principle a legislative reality early this session.

The new bill, which mirrors last year's parity legislation supported by 67 senators and 243 representatives, is designed to close gaps in the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996. According to the General Accounting Office, the bill's loopholes are exploited by employers who have substituted new restrictions on mental health benefits for those that were outlawed. Given the strong bipartisan support for this legislation in the 107th Congress, the failure to enact legislation that provides full mental health parity has been a major setback for people who have a mental illness or are at risk for developing one.

According to an NMHA survey, 83 percent of Americans believe it's unfair for health insurance companies to limit mental health benefits and require people to pay much more out-of-pocket for mental health care than for any other medical care. And an overwhelming majority of Americans (79 percent) support parity legislation even if it results in an increase in their health insurance premiums.

With this strong public backing and 250 national organizations supporting the bill, it is clear that the time to act is now! NMHA welcomes the re-introduction of this legislation and urges quick passage of The Senator Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2003.

The National Mental Health Association is the country's oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. With more than 340 affiliates nationwide, NMHA works to improve the mental health of all Americans through advocacy, education, research and service.

For more information, or to contact National Mental Health Association, see their website at: www.nmha.org