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Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, gave the following statement today on the House floor in support of passage of The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. Pallone's Health Subcommittee marked-up the bill last October. A vote on the legislation is expected later this evening.
"I rise today to support the passage of H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007, a comprehensive bill which will establish full mental health and addiction care parity.
"My colleagues, Representative Patrick Kennedy and Representative Jim Ramstad, have worked exhaustively to complete the mission that Congress embarked upon more than ten years ago through the passage of the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996. That 1996 Act authorized, for 5 years, partial parity, by mandating that the annual and lifetime dollar limits for mental health treatment under group health plans offering mental health coverage be no less than that for physical illnesses.
"H.R. 1424, introduced by Representatives Kennedy and Ramstad, will fully ensure equity in coverage for mental illness and substance abuse disorders by requiring that group health plans with mental health coverage, offer that coverage without the imposition of discriminatory financial requirements or discriminatory treatment limitations.
"The bill also protects against discrimination by diagnosis and requires plans to cover all mental health and substance abuse disorders. Mental illnesses are biologically based disorders and there is no reason we should affirmatively provide protections to a student with depression or young adult with schizophrenia, but not a child with autism or an elderly person with dementia.
"The bill also requires equality in out-of-network coverage. Again, a plan need not offer out of network coverage, but if it does for medical conditions then it should for mental illnesses as well. There are many good actors that already offer equity in care, however, some try and create a phantom network of providers where doctors in the network have long waiting lists or are not appropriate to treat certain illnesses.
"Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the United States for individuals between the ages of 15 and 44, but many mental health disorders are very treatable illnesses. H.R. 1424 would allow those individuals and families struggling to cope with the diverse array of illnesses which fall under the category of mental illness to have greater access to affordable care in order to alleviate the tremendous burden that these conditions can cause.
"Furthermore, H.R. 1424 will help to allow individuals that have been disabled by mental health and addiction disorders to acquire the treatment that they need in order to once again become productive members of society.
"Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the passage of this important legislation which will ensure the equitable treatment of very serious diseases."
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