National Public Policy/Legislation

Parity Legislation Moving Closer to Goal Line
House and Senate negotiators have reportedly reached an agreement on a final version of legislation (H.R. 1424, S. 558) to require most private sector health plans to provide parity of insurance coverage for mental and addictive disorder services. Lawmakers are still working out how to pay for the legislation, but have apparently resolved differences on other aspects of the parity legislation. Advocates are pushing for enactment of the legislation this year, to avoid having the issue become mired in broader discussions about the U.S. health care system.

The agreement reached on the parity legislation adopts a trade-off. The agreement reportedly includes language requiring health plans to cover out-of-network mental and addictive disorder services at parity with coverage for other types of out-of-network care. However, the agreement apparently will not include language, which had been included in the House-passed version of the legislation, to require coverage of all DSM diagnoses.

AMHCA, ACA, and other mental health and addictive disorder advocacy organizations are encouraging their members to call their Senators and Representative to ask them to work to pass mental health parity legislation in July, when Congress reconvenes. Health plans should no longer be allowed to provide sub-par coverage for mental, emotional, and addictive disorders, and enactment of federal parity legislation should not be put off any longer.

All AMHCA and ACA members, and others interested in this issue, are urged to call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to their Members of Congress. Please be sure to leave your name and address with the staff member to make it clear that you are a constituent.

Medicare Physician Payment Fix Still Unresolved
On Thursday, June 26th the Senate voted 58 to 40 to take up H.R. 6331, legislation to postpone a July 1st Medicare physician pay cut of 10.6%, after the House of Representatives passed the legislation on Tuesday by a strong bipartisan vote of 355-59. The 58 votes were two short of the 60 needed in the Senate to close debate, preventing the legislation from moving forward as Congress left town for the July 4th recess. Senate Republicans have largely sided with President Bush in opposing the legislation because of its reductions in government payments to private managed care companies participating in the Medicare program. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has stated he intends to bring the legislation up for a vote again when Congress returns next week.

Although H.R. 6331 does not establish Medicare coverage of counselors, it does include a provision to remove the discriminatory 50 percent copayment requirement for outpatient mental health services. (Medicare requires only a 20% copayment for other types of outpatient treatment.) Consequently, AMHCA and the American Counseling Association (ACA) have endorsed the legislation.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Beth Powell, American Mental Health Counselors Association, 800-326-2642 x105 (bpowell@amhca.org) or Scott Barstow, American Counseling Association, at 800-347-6647 x234 (sbarstow@counseling.org)