[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 167 (Tuesday, October 9, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S6733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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    SENATE RESOLUTION 670--RECOGNIZING THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
ENACTMENT OF THE PAUL WELLSTONE AND PETE DOMENICI MENTAL HEALTH PARITY 
                    AND ADDICTION EQUITY ACT OF 2008

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Smith, Mr. Roberts, Mr. 
Murphy, Mr. Carper, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. 
Menendez, Mr. Cardin, and Ms. Collins) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 670

       Whereas, on October 3, 2008, the Paul Wellstone and Pete 
     Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 
     2008 (subtitle B of title V of Public Law 110-343) (referred 
     to in this preamble as the ``MHPAEA'') was signed into law;
       Whereas the MHPAEA ensures that employer-based group health 
     plans and group and individual health insurance issuers that 
     provide mental health or substance use disorder coverage do 
     not impose less favorable limitations on mental health or 
     substance abuse use disorder benefits than on medical or 
     surgical benefits;
       Whereas parity protections have been found to decrease out-
     of-pocket costs for mental health and substance use disorder 
     services;
       Whereas, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
     Services Administration, in 2017, 18,200,000 individuals in 
     the United States ages 12 and older needed substance use 
     treatment but did not receive specialty treatment in the past 
     year;
       Whereas, in the United States in 2017, an estimated 2 out 
     of 5 adults with any mental illness and \1/2\ of adults with 
     serious mental illness who had unmet needs for mental health 
     services did not receive treatment because those individuals 
     could not afford the cost of care; and
       Whereas parity in insurance coverage for behavioral health 
     services consistent with the requirements of the MHPAEA can 
     provide access to life-saving treatment and services: Now, 
     therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commemorates October 3, 2018, as the tenth anniversary 
     of the enactment of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici 
     Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 
     (subtitle B of title V of Public Law 110-343);
       (2) declares access to behavioral health services a 
     priority; and
       (3) supports enforcement of the Paul Wellstone and Pete 
     Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 
     2008 to protect individuals in the United States who are in 
     need of access to insurance coverage for behavioral health 
     services.

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