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Senate Introduces Parity Bill

On Monday, February 12, 2007, Senator Pete Domenici and 21 cosponsors, including Senator Edward Kennedy, introduced S. 558, the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007, to Congress.

While this bill requires that a health plan provide both equal treatment limits and financial requirements for "mental health benefits, as compared to medical and surgical benefits under the plan, the bill does not specify the disorders covered. Instead, the definition is left to the Plan or Carrier, e.g., a Plan could decide that treatment for substance use disorders entails detoxification only. Furthermore, the determination of medical necessity criteria are left to the discretion of the Plan or Carrier. This bill also preempts state laws that may provide stronger benefits and consumer protections than those provided in this federal bill.

Go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ to find the text of the bill. Select "Bill Number" in the search option. Enter "S 558" and hit "Search."

Advocacy Action Items

Urge Congress to Pass A Mental Health and Addiction Parity Act this Year

Both the US House and US Senate have passed bills that would require certain group health plans to offer mental health and addiction insurance benefits that are on par with the benefits provided for medical and surgical services. Now, the two chambers of Congress must reconcile the significant differences in these two bills and send a single, compromise bill to the President for his signature. Please urge your Member of Congress to make this happen: 1. Call, fax or email your U.S. Senators and Representative and ask them to pass the strongest parity legislation possible and to pass it this year. [Contact your U.S. Representative] [Contact your U.S. Senator]

Support the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, H.R. 1108, S. 625

On February 15, 2007, both chambers of Congress introduced legislation that would authorize the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products. Urge your Members of Congress to support these bills! [Contact your U.S. Representative] [Contact your U.S. Senator]

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