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Federal legislation
Will End Health Insurance Discrimination NAMI Hails Landmark Measure as Victory for Millions of
Americans with Severe Mental Illnesses
Contact: Mary Rappaport
703-312-7886 Bob Carolla 703-516-7963 |
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For Immediate Release 25 Feb
99 |
ARLINGTON, VA - Federal legislation eliminating
discriminatory health insurance coverage for individuals with the
most severe mental illnesses will be introduced next week, according
to the two lead authors of the measure. U.S. Senators Pete Domenici
(R-NM) and Paul Wellstone (D-MN) told NAMI and a small group of
mental health advocates late yesterday that their bill will ensure
greater coverage of mental health benefits by providing full parity
for adult and child mental illnesses.
"Families across the United States are cheering today," said
Laurie Flynn, executive director of the National Alliance for the
Mentally Ill (NAMI). "No longer will a diagnosis of mental illness
mean a lifetime of receiving second-class healthcare benefits."
The bill would require equitable health insurance coverage for
the most severe, biologically based mental illnesses by prohibiting
unequal restrictions on annual and lifetime mental health benefits,
inpatient hospital days and outpatient visits, and out-of-pocket
expenses. Full insurance parity would be provided for schizophrenia,
bipolar disorder, major depression, obsessive-compulsive and severe
panic disorders, autism, and other severe and disabling mental
disorders, such as severe anorexia and severe
attention-deficit/hyperactivity. Theses disorders, as defined by the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and
scientific advances, would receive full insurance parity.
The proposal would also prohibit limits on inpatient day and
outpatient visits for mental health treatment in general.
"We applaud Senators Domenici and Wellstone for their courage and
commitment to finishing the important work they began more than two
years ago," said Flynn. "This legislation will be a giant step
forward in eliminating the double standard held against millions
struggling with mental illnesses."
The Mental Health Parity Act of 1996, first introduced by
Domenici and Wellstone, required only that annual and lifetime
benefits for mental illnesses be equal to that offered for other
physical disorders. The current law permits health plans to
discriminate by limiting hospital days and outpatient visits,
severely affecting the ability of individuals with the most serious
and chronic mental illnesses to receive needed medical care.
The new bill, which would apply only to group health plans that
already provide mental health benefits, will exempt small businesses
with 25 or fewer employees and eliminate the September 31, 2001
sunset provision in the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996.
Senators Domenici and Wellstone yesterday briefed members of the
Coalition for Fairness in Mental Illness Coverage on the new
legislation. NAMI is a founding member of the Coalition.
With more than 220,000 members,
NAMI is the nation's leading grassroots advocacy organization
solely dedicated to improving the lives of persons with severe
mental illnesses including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder
(manic-depressive illness), major depression,
obsessive-compulsive disorder, and severe anxiety disorders.
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