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LEGISLATIVE ALERT3/4/2008Important House Vote on Parity on March 5th!Enact Full Mental Health Parity!
Because of your hard work over the past 7 years, we have a real chance to enact full mental health parity!
A very important House vote on parity will occur on March 5. Following the Senate's historic passage of the Mental Health Parity Act (S. 558) in September, the House will now have its chance to pass H.R. 1424 on Wednesday, March 5.
If enacted, such policy will greatly help all Americans with mental health problems, particularly vulnerable, lower-income families and those involved with the child welfare system who experience a disproportionate rate of mental struggles.
We are SO close, and your call could really make a difference in the vote. Please call your Representative today and urge them to vote for parity!
ACTION REQUIREDCall your Representative today!
U.S. Capitol Switchboard 1-800-828-0498
MESSAGEVote for H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health & Addiction Equity Act.
Parity is a fair and affordable solution to insurance discrimination that will save lives and families.
You can identify your Representative by entering your zip code at
www.congress.org.BACKGROUNDEach year, inequitable limits on mental and behavioral health care in private health care plans cause millions of Americans to go without necessary care. Lack of affordable access to mental health care has a major impact on the nation's child welfare system, as low-income families are heavily represented in the child welfare population and recent research has shown that over a quarter of low-income children live with parents reporting symptoms of poor mental health. At least fifty percent of children and youth in the child welfare system are estimated to have mental health problems.
The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 expands the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 by prohibiting group health plans from imposing treatment or financial limitations on mental health benefits that are different from those applied to medical/surgical services. The legislation applies only to group health plans already providing mental health benefits and exempts plans sponsored by small businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
For more information, contact Laura Weidner at E-mail link.
© Child Welfare League of America. The content of these publications may not be reproduced in any way, including posting on the Internet, without the permission of CWLA. For permission to use material from CWLA's website or publications, contact us using our website assistance form.
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