SSF joins call for end to health-insurance discrimination
The Sjögren's Syndrome Foundation recognizes the importance of mental health treatment for many people with Sjögren's and other chronic conditions and has joined over 50 other organizations in support of the Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act (S. 543). This bill calls for the same level of coverage for mental health care as is provided for medical and surgical care.
A copy of the full letter and its signatories is below.
September __, 2001
The Honorable Pete V. Domenici The Honorable Paul Wellstone
SH-328 Hart Senate Office Building SH-136 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senators Domenici and Wellstone:
The undersigned national organizations join the members of the Mental Health Liaison Group -- a coalition of over 50 national mental health advocacy groups -- in supporting the Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2001 (S. 543).
On behalf of a diverse constituency, including community organizations serving children and families, we are concerned about the lack of access to mental health services resulting from arbitrary benefit limits. We are opposed to discriminatory limits on mental health benefits under private health insurance as compared to general medical/surgical services. This inequity creates an enormous barrier to care for children and adults who require mental health treatment that is both efficacious and cost-effective.
S. 543 would modify the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996, P.L. 104-204, by eliminating financial disparities (copayments, deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs) and restrictions on the frequency of treatments (day and visits limits). The bill simply calls for the same level of coverage for mental health care as is provided for medical and surgical care. Parity in insurance will enable treatment to be furnished when medically necessary, and encourage early intervention and appropriate care to avoid relapse.
This bill helps families and addresses major public health concerns, from child mental disorders to depression among older adults. Left untreated because of arbitrary insurance barriers, mental disorders can result in school failure and involvement with the justice system to increased functional impairment and even suicide.
Estimates of the costs of parity are now more accurate than in past years, and suggest that parity has only a small impact on overall health insurance premiums. Indeed, when implemented along with managed care, parity has been found to have no impact on premiums. S. 543 will therefore help reduce the unmet treatment needs of people with mental illness while making good economic sense.
We thank you for leadership on this important and timely issue.
Sincerely,
Advocates for Youth
Alliance for Children and Families
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
American Academy of Physician Assistants
American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
American Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation
American Association of Children's Residential Centers
American Association of Pastoral Counselors
American Association of School Administrators
American Association of Suicidology
American Association on Mental Retardation
American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work
American College of Physicians - American Society of Internal Medicine
American Congress of Community Supports and Employment Services (ACCSES)
American Counseling Association
American Family Foundation
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
American Federation of Teachers
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
American Group Psychotherapy Association
American Hospice Foundation
American Hospital Association
American Humane Association" target="_blank">Brazil: Lagrima-Brasil Association
American Jail Association
American Managed Behavioral Healthcare Association (AMBHA)
American Medical Association
American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association
American Mental Health Counselors Association
American Music Therapy Association
American Network of Community Options and Resources
American Nurses Association
American Occupational Therapy Association
American Orthopsychiatric Association
American Osteopathic Association
American Political Science Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychiatric Nurses Association
American Psychoanalytic Association
American Psychological Association
American Psychotherapy Association
American Public Health Association
American School Counselor Association
American School Health Association
American Society of Clinical Pharmacology
American Therapeutic Recreation Association
American Thoracic Society
America's HealthTogether
Anxiety Disorders Association of America
Association for the Advancement of Psychology
Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare
Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc.
Association of Jewish Aging Services
Association of Jewish Family & Children's Agencies
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs
Association of University Centers on Disabilities
Attention Deficit Disorders Association.
Autism Society of America
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Brain Injury Association of America, Inc.
Camp Fire USA
Catholic Charities USA
Center for Women Policy Studies
Center on Disability and Health
Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice
Central Conference of American Rabbis
Chicago Public Schools
Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Children's Defense Fund
Children's Healthcare Is a Legal Duty
Child Welfare League of America
Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation
Clinical Social Work Federation
Coalition for Juvenile Justice
Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism
Corporation for the Advancement of Psychiatry
Council for Exceptional Children
Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation
Council on Social Work Education
Dads and Daughters
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc.
Disability Service Providers of America
Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD) of the Council for Exceptional Children
Easter Seals
Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action
Employee Assistance Professionals Association
Epilepsy Foundation
Families For Depression Awareness
Families USA
Family Violence Prevention Fund
Family Voices
Federation of American Hospitals
Federation of Behavioral, Psychological & Cognitive Sciences
Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quaker)
Human Rights Campaign
Inclusion Research Institute
International Association of Jewish Vocational Services
International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services
International Community Corrections Association
International Dyslexia Association
International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago
Kids Project
Learning Disabilities Association of America
Legal Action Center
Lutheran Ofc. for Governmental Affairs, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
MentalHealth AMERICA, Inc.
NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
National Alliance to End Homelessness
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics & Prosthetics
National Association for Children's Behavioral Health
National Association for the Dually Diagnosed
National Association for Rural Mental Health
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
National Association of Children's Hospitals
National Association of Counties
National Association of County Behavioral Health Directors
National Association of Developmental Disabilities Councils
National Association of Mental Health Planning & Advisory Councils
National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems
National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems
National Association of School Nurses
National Association of School Psychologists
National Association of Social Workers
National Association of State Directors of Special Education
National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
National Center on Institutions and Alternatives
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National Coalition for the Homeless
National Coalition of Mental Health Consumers and Professionals
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of La Raza
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
National Council on Problem Gambling
National Council on Suicide Prevention
National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association
National Down Syndrome Congress
National Down Syndrome Society
National Education Association
National Exchange Club Foundation
National Foundation for Depressive Illness
National Health Council
National Hopeline Network
National Housing Conference
National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
National Mental Health Association
National Mental Health Awareness Campaign
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
National Network for Youth
National Organization of People of Color Against Suicide
National Osteoporosis Foundation
National Partnership for Women and Families
National PTA
National Rural Health Association
National Senior Citizen Law Center
National Therapeutic Recreation Society
National Treatment and Research Advancements Association for Personality Disorder
NISH (National Industries for the Severely Handicapped)
Office & Professional Employees International Union
Older Adult Consumer Mental Health Alliance
Partnership for Recovery
Presbyterian Church (USA), Washington Office
Prevent Child Abuse America
Rebecca Project for Human Rights
Samaritans Suicide Prevention Center
School Social Work Association of America
Service Employees International Union
Shaken Baby Alliance
Society for Personality Assessment
Society for Public Health Education
STOP IT NOW!
Suicide Awareness Voice of Education
Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network
The Arc of the United States
Title II Community AIDS National Network
Tourette Syndrome Association
Union of American Hebrew Congregations
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Cerebral Palsy Association
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministry
United Jewish Communities
Volunteers of America
Women of Reform Judaism
Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program
Youth Law Center
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