FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, CONTACT: Brian Cook, Rep. Stark: (202) 225-3202 Matthew Beck, Rep. Rangel: (202) 225-3943

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

HOUSE PASSES WELLSTONE-DOMENICI MENTAL HEALTH PARITY BILL

Chairmen Rangel and Stark applaud bipartisan legislation, urge Senate Action

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Charles B. Rangel, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, today applauded the passage (376-47) of H.R. 6983, the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. The bill prohibits discrimination in the provision of treatment for mental health and substance abuse disorders when compared to coverage for treatment of medical and surgical disorders.

Rep. Rangel: ”This legislation is a long overdue step to ensure equal access to treatment for people who suffer from mental illness or addiction disorders. It is gratifying to see strong bipartisan support for this bill and I expect it will receive a similar level of support in the Senate. We hope they can bring it to the floor for a vote this week, and send it to the President for his signature.”

Rep. Stark: “I applaud passage of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, and urge the Senate to take up this legislation immediately. We must stop health plans from discriminating against individuals with mental health and addiction disorders.”

Under current law, health insurers can discriminate against people who need mental health treatment by structuring benefits in a fashion that discourages treatment. These mechanisms include imposing higher copayments, strictly limiting hospitalization periods, limiting networks and instituting lower annual lifetime caps on mental health and addition care. H.R. 6983, which is a result of a negotiation between the House (H.R. 1424) and Senate (S. 558), prohibits group health plans from imposing these unequal standards. This legislation is supported by a broad coalition of hundreds of groups representing people with mental illness and addiction disorders, providers, employers, and insurance companies.

While the bill does not mandate that group health plans provide coverage for mental health or addiction treatment services, those that do must provide coverage that is equitable in relation to medical and surgical coverage. Following the model established by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the protections in this legislation establish a federal floor, but permit stronger state laws to stand, and enable states to enact additional legislative protections for their citizens. The mental health parity requirements in H.R. 6983 apply only to group health plans with 51 or more employees.