Mental Health Parity Act Passed as Part of Economic Stabilization Act

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Friday, October 03, 2008
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The Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act 2008 has passed both the House and Senate and was signed into law by President Bush just minutes ago. Earlier this week, the Senate attached it to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (HR 1424)...

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Yay!
Merely Me
Saturday, October 04, 2008 at 08:35 PM

I have just been reading about this...this is huge! I am so glad you are posting this. For those of us who need mental health treatment...this is such a relief. This surely is a victory.

NAMI Member
agserra1
Tuesday, October 07, 2008 at 11:04 AM

Awesome news .. having been a NAMI member for years now, and doing my part in writing to whoever needed to hear our voice was well worth it .. being a citizen of NM , I often wrote to Sen. Domenici , at least once a month, and he often sent encouraging letters and information for me as to who else and what else to do ..

He is retiring this year and will be missed as he wrote ,and was a such a huge advocate for this bill ... agserra

re: NAMI Member
Whitediamonds
Friday, October 17, 2008 at 01:17 PM
Hi, I just have a question, how does one become a member of NAMI? I would really like to become a member. Thank you.

re: re: NAMI Member
Teri Robert
Friday, October 17, 2008 at 01:27 PM

Go to www.nami.org. You can also just scroll to the bottom of this page and click on their logo in the lower left area of the page. On their site, in the left column, there's a "Register & Join" link. Annual dues of $35 makes you a member at the national, state, and local levels.

Teri

re: re: re: NAMI Member
Whitediamonds
Friday, October 17, 2008 at 01:51 PM

Hi Teri, Thank you for taking the time for answering my question. I am sorry you are having such difficulty. My problem seems to be the opposite, I feel too much..I am sure it is stress. I am a very emotional woman. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Rosanne

My Gratitude For This Bill
Donna Bussey
Tuesday, October 07, 2008 at 05:27 PM

I am a mother with a child/young adult with ADHD, Bipolar Disorder and auditory processing deficeit. I really appreciate your hard work and I feel blessed to have law makers working in behalf of families who deal with mental health issues daily. My daughter is 20 years old and just had a child. I am meeting more and more people who cope with mental illness daily. THANK YOU and GOD BLESS YOU!!!

Fantastic News
carolb51
Tuesday, October 07, 2008 at 09:35 PM

I am so glad to get this email which directed me to this story. This past year when our company decided to switch health plans, my boyfriend and I (who both suffer from bipolar disorder) were SOL! The new plan did not pick up mental health visits OR mental health medications. What a financial burden this was on us. I am so glad this bill passed.

re: Fantastic News
Michelle
Wednesday, October 08, 2008 at 11:14 AM

Just want to make sure you understand that this bill does not mandate that group heralth plans have to cover mental health. It means that if a group health plan does cover mental health, that there cannot be limits on number of vsiits, differences in co-payments or coinsurance as compared to benefits for medical-surgical coverage.

re: re: Fantastic News
carolb51
Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 02:17 AM

Thank you Michelle for clearing this up. Unfortunately when we went to our local insurance agent to try and get a personal health policy through them we couldn't because of our mental health status.

re: Fantastic News
Michelle
Wednesday, October 08, 2008 at 11:18 AM

I also meant to add a reminder that this federal law does not apply to employer plans that cover 50 or fewer employees on their health plan. Most group health plans have until approximately 1/1/10 at the latest to amend their plans accordingly.