House Votes to Increase Access to Mental Health Treatment 

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

WASHINGTON, DC -- By an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 376 to 47, the U.S. House of Representatives approved final legislation today that will help ensure better access to treatment for people suffering from mental illnesses.

The Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (H.R. 6983) would require group health insurance plans that cover mental and addiction health benefits to put those benefits on equal footing with physical ailments. Private health insurers generally provide less coverage for mental illnesses than for other medical conditions.

"Today, approximately forty-four million Americans suffer from mental illness, but only one-third receive treatment. One reason is that private health insurers generally provide less coverage for mental illnesses and substance abuse than for other medical conditions," said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. “This bill is an important step towards ending the stigma attached to mental illness and providing fair coverage to those in need.”

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.

H.R. 6983 will allow employers to offer more comprehensive mental health coverage without substantial additional costs, while significantly reducing out-of-pocket costs for plan participants.

Some states already have strong requirements for the coverage and treatment of mental illness. H.R. 6983 would not affect state laws that offer stronger consumer protections.

The bill is named after the late Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-MN) and current Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM), both longtime advocate of mental health awareness and parity.

For more information on The Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, click here.

To read Miller's floor statement, click here.

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