Mental Health Bill seems likely to pass

[Infinite Hope]

WASHINGTON - After years of trying, advocates think they have a good chance of getting Congress to pass legislation next year that would require equal health insurance coverage for mental and physical illnesses, if their policies include both.

The legislation, named for the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, a Minnesota Democrat who championed the cause, has strong support in Congress but has run into GOP roadblocks. In the last congressional session, 231 House members — more than half of the chamber — signed on as co-sponsors. The GOP leadership, which in the past had expressed concern that the proposal would drive up health insurance premiums, wouldn't bring it up for a vote.

In 2003, Senate Democrats tried to win passage of the bill as a tribute to Wellstone, who died in a plane crash the previous year. Republicans blocked an attempt to pass it by unanimous consent.

Kennedy's lead co-sponsor, Minnesota Republican Jim Ramstad, said a "silver lining" to the Democrats winning both houses of Congress is the increased chances of passing the bill, known as mental health parity. "We need to deal as a nation with America's No. 1 health problem," Ramstad said. "It's not only the right thing to do, but the cost-effective thing do."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061229/ap_on_go_co/congress_mental_health_2

[Ladyhawk]

1. It's a start.

Thank you, Paul Wellstone. I wish you were here to see that the bill passes.

[BayCityProgressive]

2. If nothing else

The Dems will get the President to sign this and the minimum wage bill.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. The bill contains a loophole that must be plugged

or things might get much worse. The loophole is in the bit about "if the policies contain both." The temptation will be for health plans to exclude mental health coverage, and the fix is to require both physical & mental health coverage in all health plans.

[Infinite Hope]

4. True n/t

[AZBlue]

5. Exactly. Doesn't seem like the bill does a whole lot actually.

eom

[brer cat]

6. I've been caught by that loophole myself. It needs to be closed! n/t

[Ladyhawk]

7. That's not good. :( n/t

[Clark2008]

8. This is much more interesting than those other threads.

:kick: