Mental Health Advocates Call for End to Insurance
Discrimination
Bazelon Center Applauds Introduction of Parity
Legislation
Washington, DC (February 27, 2003)—The nation’s leading
legal advocate for the rights of people with mental disabilities
today cheered introduction of the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable
Treatment Act, which is aimed at ending discrimination by private
insurers against people with mental illnesses. Senators Pete Domenici
(R-NM) and Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Representatives Jim Ramstad (R-MN)
and Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) announced the bill’s introduction
at a Capitol Hill news conference held earlier today.
The following is a prepared statement by Bazelon Center federal
relations director Laurel Stine on introduction of the bill:
We join the principled leaders and dedicated advocates gathered
today to introduce the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment
Act and call for its enactment to end discrimination by private
insurers against people with mental illnesses.
It would be unthinkable to deny coverage for needed heart surgery,
yet millions of Americans with mental illnesses face similar discrimination
when they seek private insurance coverage for necessary mental health
services. They are routinely denied coverage for needed services
because their private insurance plans fail to cover the services
or promote inequities in co-payments and deductibles for mental
health services.
This discriminatory practice is a disgrace that has embarrassed
this country for far too long. Today we acknowledge the late Senator
Paul Wellstone’s enduring legacy as a champion for mental health
parity and recognize the ongoing efforts of lawmakers who continue
his fight.
We commend Senators Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
and Representatives Jim Ramstad (R-MN) and Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)
for their leadership on this issue. These leaders have embraced
an historic opportunity to address the crisis facing America’s
systems of care for people with mental illnesses.
Even as the President’s Commission on Mental Health works
to address the very serious problems facing public mental health
systems, the lawmakers gathered today have committed themselves
to the difficult task of ending insurance discrimination by private
companies – a task made more difficult by resistance from insurer
and employer lobbyists.
Contrary to the claims of these special interests, the nation can
hardly afford not to enact legislation to guarantee full parity
for private insurance coverage of mental health services. When private
insurers fail to cover needed mental health services, already overburdened
public mental health systems must pick up the slack.
This failure has particularly tragic results for families who have
children with mental health needs. When private insurance will not
cover the mental health services for their child needs, many families
face a horrible choice between living in poverty or giving up custody
to the state so the child can obtain the comprehensive services
available through Medicaid. It’s a decision no family should
have to make.
In an era of tight budget constraints, shifting costs to the public
sector makes as much sense as carrying a bowling ball in a marathon.
These costs are an unnecessary burden on taxpayers that could be
relieved if private insurers ended their discrimination against
people with mental illnesses.
Studies show that the private insurance premiums rose only slightly
in the states that require mental health parity in private insurance
coverage. In fact, a recent study by the General Accounting Office
found that the increase in premium rates for employees of the federal
government—which requires mental health parity—are in
line with other large purchasers of employer-sponsored health insurance.
Last year, President Bush made a commitment to enact parity legislation.
But nine months later, the president appears no closer to signing
parity legislation than he was when he asked lawmakers to send him
a parity bill last April.
It is past time for the Congress and the Administration to honor
the president’s commitment. Lawmakers must pass and President
Bush must sign parity legislation this year.
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Laurel Stine is director of federal relations
at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. The Bazelon Center
is the nation’s leading legal advocate for the rights of
people with mental disabilities.
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