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Support Mental Health Parity

April 1, 2004—Below is an urgent alert from the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG), a coalition of national organizations representing consumer, family members, advocates, professionals and providers. The Bazelon Center is a proud member of the MHLG.

To: Parity Supporters

From: Peter Newbould, MHLG Health Policy Committee Co-chair
c/o American Psychological Assn. Practice Organization

Chris Koyanagi, MHLG Health Policy Committee Co-chair
c/o Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Re: Push the Senate (Parity Alert #26)

The time for passing parity is now!

Despite a bipartisan record 69 cosponsors in the Senate and 245 in the House of Representatives, Congress has failed to move on the "Senator Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act" (S. 486, H.R. 953). In fact, two years have gone by since President Bush expressed support for full mental health parity legislation. During this time, more than 350 organizations joined our coalition to pass parity and end insurance discrimination against people with mental illnesses.

While Congress often appears to be focused on either Iraq or the economy, the fact remains that this is a critical election year (like when the 1996 Mental Health Parity Act passed) making legislators even more attentive to their constituent's concerns. We need to seize this opportunity by turning up the pressure and unifying grassroots support to help the bill's sponsors, Senators Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA), get the Senate moving on parity. The Senate leaders need to know their continued inaction on passing S. 486 delays relief to the millions of Americans who continue to suffer because of the lack of comprehensive mental health parity.

Mental Health Liaison Group MHLG Parity Fact Sheets Read the Senate Parity Bill (S. 486) Read the House Parity Bill (H.R. 953) Wellstone Action Network Bazelon Center Insurance Issues Page

Take Action Now

Step 1: Find out if your Senators are cosponsoring the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act (S. 486).

Step 2: Use the toll-free Parity Hotline, 1-866-parity4 (1-866-727-4894), to call your Senators to urge prompt passage of mental health parity legislation. The Parity Hotline reaches the Capitol switchboard, which can connect callers to their Members of Congress.

Your comments should be personalized, highlighting your individual reasons for supporting mental health parity.

Message for non-cosponsors:
"I am calling to ask the Senator to urge Senators Frist and Gregg to make mental health parity legislation (S. 486) a top priority for passage early in 2004. Parity is a fair and affordable solution that will save lives and families. Congress must pass the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act."

Message for cosponsors:
" I am calling to ask the Senator to urge Senators Frist and Gregg to make mental health parity legislation (S. 486) a top priority for passage early in 2004. As a cosponsor, he/she knows that parity is a fair and affordable solution that will save lives and families. Congress must pass the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act."

Background

In November, the Senate mental health parity sponsors secured a commitment from the Republican Leadership that parity would be among the first bills to move to the Senate Floor in early 2004. Unfortunately that has not happened, which is one of the reasons why we are asking that you focus your advocacy efforts on the Senate.

Senator Bill Frist (R-TN), the Majority Leader, also expressed appreciation for the willingness of Domenici and Kennedy to compromise on issues of concern to insurers and employers. However, Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH), the Chairman of the Health Committee with jurisdiction over the bill, has not scheduled S. 486 for action. With a shorter session this year, the Senate must act on parity soon or it will not pass
in 2004.