Legislative Update
 

Action Alert:
PASS Mental Health Parity NOW!
Discharge Petition

As you know, Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Congressman Jim Ramstad (R-MN) have introduced legislation to end insurance discrimination against mental health and addiction treatment. The Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act (H.R. 1402) has a bipartisan majority of 230 Representatives cosponsoring it, yet the House leadership refuses to give it a fair up-or-down vote. Now the two sponsors have launched an effort to force a vote and could use your help.

Under House rules, if 218 Representatives sign a "discharge petition," the bill is automatically brought to the Floor for consideration, over the leadership's objections. On Thursday, Sept. 28, Kennedy and Ramstad launched a discharge petition and got 165 signatures on it before the House recessed late Friday night. To get the remaining 53 signatures they need, they'll need help. Members of Congress are campaigning this month, attending many public forums. These are perfect opportunities to ask them to commit to signing the discharge petition, or asking new candidates to pledge their support for the Wellstone bill in the next Congress. Calls and e-mails to Representatives' offices also help. Please do what you can, and ask others to do the same. A summary of the bill and suggested talking points are attached.

This bill, to bring fair coverage to millions of Americans with brain diseases, has had a bipartisan majority in each of the last three Congresses. We've waited long enough, and paid too high a price. It's time to pass parity now. Thank you for your help!

109th Discharge Demanding A Vote for Parity.doc
 

U.S. House of Representatives:

Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2005
(H.R. 1402)

Background: In 1996, Congress passed the Mental Health Parity Act (P.L. 104-204), which eliminated annual and lifetime dollar limits for mental healthcare for companies with more than 50 employees. Many employers have been able to skirt the spirit of the law, however, by placing new restrictions on mental health benefits, such as additional limits on outpatient office visits and number of days for inpatient care. The Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act (H.R. 1402) was introduced in the U.S. House by Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Rep. Jim Ramstad.

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