Committee on Education and Labor : U.S. House of Representatives
A photo of Hon. George Miller, Chairman
 

Press Releases

Labor Committee Approves Legislation to Help People with Mental Illnesses Get Treatment

Wednesday, July 18, 2007
 
The House Education and Labor Committee today approved bipartisan legislation that will help ensure better access to treatment for people suffering from mental illnesses.

The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act (H.R. 1424), which passed by a bipartisan vote of 33 to 9, would require group health insurance plans to put coverage for mental illnesses on equal footing with physical ailments. Private health insurers generally provide less coverage for mental illnesses than for other medical conditions.

“Today’s vote is a victory in a long bipartisan effort to provide adequate health coverage to people who suffer from the debilitating – and sometimes life-threatening – effects of mental illness," said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the chairman of the committee. “This landmark legislation would close the gap in coverage for people without adequate access to treatment for mental illnesses."

The legislation prohibits employer group health plans from imposing limitations on coverage for mental illnesses that they do not impose on physical illnesses. For example, the legislation would require that group health plans offer the same terms for deductibles, limits on hospital stays and outpatient visits, and co-payments, among other things.

Separate independent analyses have concluded that H.R. 1424 will not lead to significantly higher costs for employers and could significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs for plan participants.

Some states already have strong requirements for the coverage and treatment of mental illness. H.R. 1424 would not affect state laws that offer stronger consumer protections. Democrats defeated a Republican amendment that would have gutted many state laws that offer protections stronger than those in H.R. 1424.

The bill is named after the late Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-MN), a longtime advocate of mental health awareness and parity.

Earlier this month, the House Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee held a hearing on H.R. 1424. Click here for more information.

To read Miller’s full statement from today’s committee meeting, click here.

###