[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 12, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E364-E365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     PAUL WELLSTONE MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION EQUITY ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 5, 2008

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to have the following 
letters of support for H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and 
Addiction Equity Act, submitted for the record on the floor debate of 
this bill.

                                                    March 4, 2008.
     Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, Capitol Building, 
         Washington, DC.
     Hon. John Boehner,
     Republican Leader, House, Capitol Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader Boehner: Consumers Union, 
     the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, urges you to 
     support HR 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and 
     Addiction Equity Act, to prohibit insurance discrimination 
     against 80 million Americans suffering from addiction and 
     mental illness.
       Over 25 million people need mental health and addiction 
     treatment but are not getting it. Each year, 1.3 billion work 
     days are lost due to mental disorders, more than arthritis, 
     stroke, heart attack and cancer combined. Moreover, workers 
     with untreated depression cost their employers $31 billion a 
     year in lost productivity and workers with untreated 
     alcoholism cost their employers $135 billion in lost 
     productivity each year. The need for equity in health plans 
     for the treatment of addiction and mental illness is well 
     documented--14 field hearings were held around the country in 
     2007. The time to pass this legislation is now.
       H.R. 1424, introduced by Representatives Patrick Kennedy 
     and Jim Ramstad, has the support of the majority of the House 
     with 273 cosponsors. Because of the critical nature of this 
     legislation, we urge you to support HR 1424 and move it to 
     the full floor for a vote as soon as possible.
           Sincerely,
     Gail Shearer,
       Director, Health Policy Analysis, Consumers Union 
     Washington Office.

[[Page E365]]

     
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         National Association of Councils on Developmental 
           Disabilities,
                                    Alexandria, VA, March 2, 2008.
     Hon. Patrick Kennedy,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Kennedy: On behalf of the National 
     Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities we 
     write in strong support of the Paul Wellstone Mental Health 
     and Addiction Equity Act of 2007.
       Research from the past 10 to 20 years has resulted in a 
     fundamental change in the way mental illnesses are viewed and 
     treated. We know now that people can improve and recover from 
     many serious mental illnesses. Yet, according to the 
     Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration's (SAMHSA) 
     Resource Center to Address Discrimination Stigma Associated 
     with Mental Illness (ADS Center), only 1 in 5 of children in 
     need is receiving appropriate treatment. Two-thirds of the 
     roughly 54 million Americans with mental illnesses do not 
     receive treatment.
       Your legislation provides equal treatment of mental health 
     insurance benefits compared to medical and surgical benefits 
     specifically with respect to cost sharing requirements, 
     financial requirements, and treatment limitations. Without 
     parity, millions of Americans will continue to go without 
     groundbreaking treatment leading them to suffer more 
     emotional pain, disability, and financial burden, and 
     resulting in greater morbidity costs--the loss of 
     productivity in usual activities.
       As you work to move this legislation across the finish 
     line, the Councils strongly support your efforts. Thank you 
     for your leadership on this issue.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Karen F. Flippo,
                                          Chief Executive Officer.


                                    Listening Sage Associates,

                                                     Santa Fe, NM.
     Hon. Patrick J. Kennedy,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Jim Ramstad,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representatives Kennedy and Ramstad: I am writing to 
     urge House Members to vote YES on your bill H.R. 1424, the 
     Paul Wellstone Mental Health & Addiction Equity Act.
       Insurance coverage has been grossly inadequate for mental 
     health services and many families have not been able to 
     afford services. Insurance companies often give false 
     impressions about the real mental health benefits they offer. 
     Often the client pays three fourths of the bill and the 
     insurance company pays a small co-pay. This is unfair and 
     dishonest. I hope your bill will be supported and passed. It 
     needs to cut out the loop holes in former mental health acts.
       Thank you for your leadership.
           Sincerely,
                                              Leona Stucky-Abbott.
                                      National Association for the


                                             Dually Diagnosed,

                                  Kingston, NY, February 29, 2008.
     Hon. Patrick J. Kennedy,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Jim Ramstad,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representatives Kennedy and Ramstad: I am writing on 
     behalf of the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed 
     (NADD) to urge House Members to vote YES on your bill H.R. 
     1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Addiction Equity Act.
       Millions of American families who face structural 
     discrimination against the mental health benefits in their 
     health coverage will welcome passage of this legislation. It 
     is designed to close loopholes in the 1996 Federal parity law 
     that has too often been evaded. By requiring group health 
     plans that provide mental health or substance use benefits to 
     include them without different duration limits and financial 
     requirements, this legislation will help people with mental 
     disorders without a costly burden on employers.
       We hope that House passage of your strong bipartisan bill 
     will spur to completion the negotiations with the Senate on a 
     bill that can become law this year. Further delay is not 
     acceptable.
       Thank you for your leadership on this important issue.
           Sincerely,
                                               Robert J. Fletcher,
     Chief Executive Officer and Founder.

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