[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 138 (Thursday, October 2, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S12368]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   THE NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH PARITY

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I rise today to call attention to an 
issue that affects every community in this country, and that is mental 
illness. Next week is Mental Illness Awareness Week, and I think the 
best way that we in the Senate can recognize this event is to ensure 
parity for mental health treatment in our Nation's health care system.
  Mental illness has a drastic impact not only on the country's health, 
but also on its economic well-being. According to the 1999 Surgeon 
General's report on mental illness, the unequal coverage of mental 
illness treatment results in direct business costs of at least $70 
million per year, mostly due to lost productivity and increased use of 
sick leave. Earlier this year, the President's New Freedom Commission 
on Mental Health released a report laying forth goals and objectives to 
transform mental health care in the United States. According to this 
report, mental illness ranks first among illnesses that cause 
disability in this country, and the indirect costs of mental illness 
are estimated to be $79 billion a year. This report goes on to reaffirm 
the President's call for Federal legislation to provide full parity 
between coverage for mental health care and for nonmental health care.
  Over the past two decades we have made great strides in the area of 
mental illness. Not only are a number of innovative, beneficial 
treatments available for sufferers of mental illness, but we have also 
worked to eradicate many of the social stigmas that have too often 
accompanied mental illness. However we still have much to do for those 
who suffer from potentially debilitating and destructive mental 
illnesses.
  Currently, those with mental illness often struggle to obtain 
necessary medical treatment, even when they have sufficient health 
insurance. Employers who offer health benefits to their employees can 
impose limitations on the treatment of mental illness, while not 
placing similar limitations on the treatment of physical illness. This 
discrimination prevents many from obtaining the medical treatment they 
need.
  I urge my colleagues in the Senate to answer the President's call, 
and recognize Mental Illness Awareness Week by ensuring that those 
suffering from mental illness have access to medical treatments that 
will help them to preserve the quality of their lives.

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