Mental Health Parity

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Submitted by Gordon Smith on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 12:58pm.

As you may know, legislation is pending before the House of Representatives which would require health plans to cover mental health and substance abuse services fairly, using the same coverage practices that they use for general medical care. Tomorrow, on Wednesday, May 2^nd, we're asking everyone to help support the “Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act". This legislation is long overdue, as it would help end insurance discrimination against people suffering from mental illness and addictive disorders. Over 100 national advocacy organizations have endorsed H.R. 1424.

Rep. Butterfield (NC-1), Rep. McIntyre (NC-7), Rep. Watt (NC-12), Rep. Price (NC-4), and Rep. Etheridge (NC-2) are the only NC Congressfolk among the 264 cosponsors of this legislation. We're asking all of our readers to take a moment to contact their representative to say one of two things:

IF YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IS A COSPONSOR…..

“I care about Americans’ access to mental health and addiction treatment, and I’m calling to thank the Congressman/woman for cosponsoring H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. I appreciate this support, but to help keep the bill moving, I’d like to ask the Congressman/woman to contact his/her colleagues on the Energy & Commerce Committee and the Education & Labor Committee to urge them to pass the legislation out of committee soon. Thank you.”

IF YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IS NOT A COSPONSOR…..

“I’m calling to ask the Congressman/woman to cosponsor H.R. 1424, bipartisan legislation to simply require large health plans to cover mental health and addiction treatment the same way they cover other types of care. We shouldn’t allow health plans to discriminate against people with these disorders any more. I think it’s important that we expand access to mental health and addiction treatment in this country, and that parity legislation is long overdue.”

More info about the bill here

This bill will allow for a greatly improved mental health system in North Carolina as our private businesses will adequately cover their employees, our insurance entities will adequately reimburse providers, and our providers will be able to broaden their practices. You've been wondering what else you can do on the mental health front. This is the next step.

Gordon Smith's blog
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After all of Myrick's pontification on the subject

Submitted by Oliver Queen on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 1:19pm.

she fails to come through.

Yeah....was thinking we need to call Myrick

Submitted by Betsy Muse on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 1:38pm.

and ask why she no longer supports this after she used a family member's mental illness to further her political career.

She has illegal immigrants in her family too!

Submitted by Oliver Queen on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 2:34pm.

You forgot to blog that ;-)

No, I intentionally didn't blog that

Submitted by Betsy Muse on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 3:07pm.

Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.

:-P

Submitted by Oliver Queen on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 3:10pm.

:-P

Myrick

Submitted by Jerimee on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 1:45pm.

I think talking with Myrick is a lost cause. She makes Karl Rove seem like a even-handed moderate. Has anyone ever had a positive interaction with her or her staff?

Shuler and Miller

Submitted by Gordon Smith on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 2:22pm.

Ought to be on board...

Just received this e-mail from

Submitted by momoaizo on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 4:25pm.

Sarah Long, Finance Management of the Division of Medical Assistance:

Thank you for your comments regarding Community Support (CS) services. We realize how important these services are for the citizens of North Carolina. That’s why we want to make sure that clients are receiving the right service, delivered by a qualified provider.

We recently worked with a group of providers to determine a rate for CS that more accurately reflects the actually cost of service. That rate has been set at $51.28 per hour. That rate is retroactive to April 5 and erases the $40 per hour rate that had been announced earlier this month. No one will receive the $40 per hour rate. This group of providers was not chosen by the State; they were chosen by Local Management Entities or provider trade groups.

We are also working to put provisions in place that will ensure that all people who are proposed for CS services receive an 8-hour initial examination by a qualified professional that will ensure that CS is the right service for a consumer. Though the new provisions will help eliminate unnecessary use of this service, we want you to know that any recipient is still able to receive as much service as is medically necessary to meet one’s clinical needs.

Our goal is to ensure that all North Carolinians have access to quality mental health services in their community. We believe that this new CS rate will help us accomplish that goal.

Sincerely,

Sarah Long
Finance Management
Division of Medical Assistance
2501 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-2501

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

Progressive Discussions

I recently received a similar email.

Submitted by Linda on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 4:38pm.

from the same woman.
_____________
The Den
My darling girl, when will you understand that 'normal' isn't necessarily a virtue. It rather denotes a lack of courage." - Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic

awww, gee

Submitted by momoaizo on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 4:51pm.

and I thought it was a personal letter, not a mass mailer : (

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

Progressive Discussions

Yours probably was the original.

Submitted by Linda on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 4:56pm.

Then she realized that she could just copy and paste it to me. Most people get us confused because of the whole "two Lindas" thing anyway.

_____________
The Den
My darling girl, when will you understand that 'normal' isn't necessarily a virtue. It rather denotes a lack of courage." - Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic

I can see where two LC's could get people confused

Submitted by momoaizo on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 4:59pm.

after all, our last names are so much alike too : P

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

Progressive Discussions

"The State of Mental Health in North Carolina"

Submitted by Leslie H on Tue, 05/01/2007 - 6:10pm.

Thought some folks would be interested in attending this discussion.

NC Policy Watch, NAMI-Wake and NAMI-NC host a Crucial Conversation Luncheon to disucss the state of the mental health system in North Carolina. A panel of experts will talk about where we are in the reform process, what is working, what needs to be changed and why the mental health system is important to North Carolina's future.

Panelist:
-Rep. Verla Insko (D-Oragne), Chair of House Committee on Mental Health Reform
-Deputy Secretary, Lezs Wainwright, Division of MH/DD/SA
-Ruth Sheehan, News & Observer
-John Tote, Mental Health Association
-Ann Akland, NAMI and a consumer