Grab and Keel

The Face of a Bail Out

Lost in the shuffle over the bail out bill passage was the fact that it actually had another name. The bill was attached to the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health and Parity Act. The passage of this act is important, as noted on the Wellstone Website:

 […The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 is a major step forward to end discrimination in insurance coverage for people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders….]

Read their history to see why. http://www.wellstone.org/

Hillary Clinton put out a news release in honor of the Wellstone passage:

October 3, 2008

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on Passage of Legislation to Bring Parity for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment

WASHINGTON, DC—Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today issued the following statement on the passage of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.

“Today’s victory will help ensure that millions of Americans struggling with mental illness and addiction will not lose access to critical healthcare services because of arbitrary treatment limits or financial restrictions. Mental illness should be treated no differently from any other biologically-based disorder, and this long overdue action will provide millions more with full parity for mental health and substance abuse services like the protections put in place for federal employees by Executive Order during the Clinton Administration. This legislation will take steps to ensure fair treatment and is an important part of our critical work to ensure that every American has quality, affordable healthcare.”

Senator Clinton has been a champion of mental health parity since the 1990s when mental health parity was established through Executive Order by the Clinton Administration for all federal employees enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. During the 109th Congress, Senator Clinton joined with Senator Susan M. Collins (R-ME) to include significant portions of the Positive Aging Act into the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, which allows for competitive grants for the development of systems for the delivery of mental health screening and treatment services for older individuals who lack access to these services. Additionally, Senator Clinton introduced legislation that appropriated $3 million for community-based programs that provide mental health and readjustment assistance to members of the National Guard and Reserve and their families on their return from deployment.

http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=304113&&

 

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