Ackerman Praises Passage of Mental Health Parity Bill

Press Release

Ackerman Praises Passage of Mental Health Parity Bill

U.S. Rep. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I.) today praised the passage of legislation that requires health insurers to treat mental health expenses on equal terms with other types of health coverage. The bill making the change, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act (H.R. 1424), was adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives last night by a vote of 268-to-148. The measure empowers the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service to penalize health plans for discriminatory practices and permits individuals to bring a private cause of action to receive covered benefits.

"This legislation is long-overdue and should never have taken so long to pass" said Ackerman, a co-sponsor of the bill and a long-time proponent of mental health parity. "Only insurance companies and their lackeys on Capitol Hill could maintain with a straight face that mental health was somehow not the same as health. Anyone who has suffered from a treatable mental health condition, or has watched the suffering of a loved one with such a condition, knows that the phony distinction insurers have made between troubles of the mind and the body is indefensible, and is purely about profit."

For plans that offer mental health benefits, health insurers will have to apply financial requirements to mental health and substance-related disorders that are no more restrictive or costly than the requirements required for medical and surgical benefits. Specifically, the measure requires group health plans to not charge higher co-payments, coinsurance or deductibles for mental health benefits. In addition, health insurers will not be able to impose lower insurer reimbursements and lower visit limits on mental health and addiction care than for medical and surgical benefits.

"When this mental health parity legislation becomes law, thousands of ordinary Americans will be able to receive appropriate psychological care without paying an increased premium for that care." Ackerman added. "The bill will not only expand access to mental health treatment, but by equalizing benefits offered for this type of care, it will hopefully begin to remove the undeserved stigma attached to mental health treatment.

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