Sunday, July 31, 2005
House Passes Association Health Plan Legislation; Proposal Would Weaken State Mental Illness Insurance Parity Laws Alert at the NAMI web site - "On July 26, the House cleared legislation vastly expanding multi-employer Association Health Plans (AHPs) and potentially undermining existing state laws that require health plans to cover treatment for mental illness on the same terms and conditions as all other illnesses commonly referred to as parity. The vote was 263-165. This proposal (HR 525) would significantly expand the scope of a federal law (known as ERISA), that exempts self-insured employer health plans from state regulation. By expanding ERISA, HR 525 would encourage employers that currently offer health plans for their workers (and their families) to switch away from coverage that meets a parity standard, i.e. plans that cover mental illnesses the same as all other illnesses..."
Lawmakers finish with mental health insurance parity bill (Oregon) AP story at
OregonLive.com - "Oregon is close to joining 35 other states that require health insurers to provide mental health coverage on equal terms with coverage for physical illness. The House voted 59-1 Saturday for a Senate-passed mental health insurance parity bill. The measure goes to Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who supports it..."
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Monday, July 25, 2005
House Committee Slots $2.2b for Vets' Mental Health Article at
BlackEnterprise.com - "The members of Congress who decide how money is spent are focused on the mental health care of veterans, particularly those returning from combat who may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. In an unusual move, the House Appropriations Committee has fenced off $2.2 billion in the Department of Veterans Affairs budget for specialty mental health care 'to be assured that funding for mental health care will not be siphoned off for other purposes,' committee members said in an explanatory report on their budget recommendations for fiscal 2006. VA officials have estimated they will spend at least that much on specialty mental health programs the next fiscal year, and up to $10 billion for health care spending for all veterans who have mental illnesses. The committee's version of the 2006 defense appropriations bill also directs the Pentagon and the VA to jointly study mental health care, including PTSD, panic disorder and bipolar disorder. " See also
Mental health study showsstrain of deployment, combat (
Army Times) and two
Seattle Times stories,
VA straining to treat post-traumatic stress and
Soaring PTSD disability payments scrutinized.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
House to Consider Association Health Plan Legislation; Proposal Would Weaken State Mental Illness Insurance Parity Laws NAMI alert - "Later this week the U.S. House of Representatives will consider legislation to vastly expand multi-employer Association Health Plans (AHPs) and undermine existing state laws that require health plans to cover treatment for mental illness on the same terms and conditions as all other illnesses commonly referred to as parity. This proposal (HR 525) would significantly expand the scope of a federal law (known as ERISA), that exempts self-insured employer health plans from state regulation. By expanding ERISA, HR 525 would encourage employers that currently offer health plans for their workers (and their families) to switch away from coverage that meets a parity standard, i.e. plans that cover mental illnesses the same as all other illnesses."
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Mental health bills set to become law (New Jersey) Gloucester County Times story - "Two of Acting Gov. Richard Codey's mental health initiatives have cleared the Legislature, giving confidence to mental health workers that he will stand behind the promises made in his State of the State Address last winter. One bill will establish a $200 million special needs housing trust fund which, over the next 10 years, is expected to help create 10,000 new affordable housing options for both the mentally ill and for those with other types of special needs. A second initiative will authorize a "competent adult" to put forth an advance directive for mental health care. "
Thursday, June 30, 2005
House Level-Funds Most Community Mental Health Programs Story at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law - "The House of Representatives on June 24 passed an appropriations bill (H.R. 3010) for fiscal year 2006 funding Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) programs and services. Members essentially ignored the need for more dollars to meet the increased treatment needs of children and adults with serious mental illnesses. The Presidents budget had proposed no new funding for SAMHSAs Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) and deep cuts to its discretionary budget, referred to as the Programs of Regional and National Significance (PRNS). The House went along with the President on level funding, but restored the cuts to the PRNS..."
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Why not make Kendra's Law permanent? Empire Information Services press release - "A new Kendra's Law bill has been introduced into both houses of the state legislature that would renew the law for five more years. This move has baffled the bills supporters, including Patricia Webdale, the mother of Kendra, for whom the bill is named, and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), which represents families with loved ones who have a mental illness. Named for Kendra Webdale, who was pushed under a subway train by a man with a serious mental illness who did not take his medications, Kendras Law provides for Assisted Outpatient Treatment to persons with severe mental illness who could not otherwise survive safely in their communities 'While the bill includes improvements to the law, we are deeply disappointed that it won't make the law permanent,' J. David Seay, Executive Director on NAMI-NYS said. 'The law has saved many lives and has dramatically lowered the rate of re-hospitalizations, incarcerations and homelessness for those whom it has served.'"
Mandatory care for mentally ill OK'd (Maine) Portland Press Herald story - " Large majorities in the Maine House and Senate have approved a bill that would require some mentally ill outpatients to adhere to court-ordered treatment plans or risk being hospitalized against their will. The measure, which deeply split the state's mental-health community and sparked passionate debate in Augusta, faces one remaining obstacle. The Appropriations Committee, which is expected to meet later this month, must allocate $520,000 to fund the bill, said its sponsor, state Sen. John Nutting, D-Leeds."
