The more I read about the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (gah, what a mouthful, yes?), the more I discover about the questions, concerns, and fears others have.

Why should I care about this? I don’t even have health insurance.

My company doesn’t have more than 50 people, so what do I have to be excited about?

If my current health insurance plan doesn’t already offer mental health coverage, do I still benefit from this legislation?

Just exactly how high are premiums going to skyrocket, now?

Do these echo some of your own thoughts, or is something else running through your mind you’d like to share? Or, maybe you have some knowledge about the legislation you’d like to share to help clear up confusion?

Post from: Blisstree

Mental Health Parity: What’s Your Biggest Concern?

And, because it’s located at THOMAS (The Library of Congress’s site), the links are usually temporary so I’m giving you directions instead:

1. Visit THOMAS.
2. Click on Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 : H.R. 1424 at the top of the page. (I don’t know how long this will remain at the top.)
3. Once you’re on the page for H.R. 1424, click on Printer Friendly Display.
4. After that page loads, scroll down until you see SEC. 512. MENTAL HEALTH PARITY (it will be in the center of the page, near the bottom) or do a search for it using your browser’s “Find” option.
5. Read.

I’ve stumbled across a very important question regarding this legislation, but I want to give you a chance to read over the text before I ask it.

Post from: Blisstree

Read The Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008

So, by now you’ve undoubtedly heard Congress passed Mental Health Parity. Actually, Congress passed the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, and they did so right along with the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (HR 1424) and a bunch of other stuff, I hear.

There’s some slight controversy surrounding the bill, how it was passed, and the fact that it was passed at all. Around the ‘net I’ve read complaints that the bill isn’t fair, it shouldn’t have been thrown in with the bailout bill, and – my favorite – “Now our premiums are going to go up.”

Here’s the deal:

No, the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 isn’t 100% fair. It doesn’t include businesses with fewer than 50 employees, so, that really sucks for those employees. And, to my understanding, it also doesn’t include individual health insurance policies either. It’s not perfect – very few things are on the first go ’round – but even with these flaws, it’s a step in the right direction. It has taken six years for this to pass – can you imagine how long it would have taken to pass a more comprehensive version (i.e. one that benefits more people)? So, the way I see it, once we have this in place, we’ll have a solid launching pad for moving forward.

Yes, the Senate folded it in with other legislation before passing it all on to President Bush. People are upset, but really, they should stop acting surprised. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Is it a good or bad thing? I don’t know; I’m not an expert. I am, however, glad it’s gotten this far – regardless of the means.

Premiums may indeed go up in order for businesses to be able to provide all this extra equal coverage. And…did you expect anything else? Additional services generally cost additional money. It’s just common sense. Again, it’s not perfect (especially during these hard economic times), but very few things are in the beginning. If you’re ticked off about possibly having to pay higher premiums, I have two things to say to you:

1. Your brain is an organ, just like your heart, and mental health is a part of overall health. If your current health insurance policy doesn’t cover mental health services, or offers inadequate mental health coverage compared to physical health coverage – newsflash – you’re kind of getting screwed. You wouldn’t be happy with health insurance that didn’t cover heart-related problems, or stomach problems, or kidney problems, would you? Why be happy with something that doesn’t cover mental health?
2. If you’re upset about possibly having to pay extra for coverage you think you don’t need…well, hello, chances are you’re already doing that. Isn’t that kind of what health insurance is? Paying into coverage that you may need at some point? You’re not in a car accident right now, but your health insurance policy probably covers such emergency services. You’re not having a heart attack right now, but your policy undoubtedly includes the care to keep you alive. So, even if you’re not experiencing mental health problems right now, statistically one in every four Americans meets diagnosis criteria for a mental illness during any given year. If the day ever comes that your mind (or your spouse’s or child’s or parent’s) decides to split right down the middle, you’ll be glad this legislation is in place.

So, what do you think about this mental health parity legislation? Happy? Upset? Indifferent?

For more news about Congress passing the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, check out:

• Mental Health America Hails Approval of Federal Parity Legislation
• Congress Passes Historic Mental Health Parity Bill
• Congress Passes Mental Health Parity Legislation
• Senate Folds Mental Health Parity Into Wall Street Bailout Bill

Image: SXC

Post from: Blisstree

Here’s The Deal: Congress Passes Mental Health Parity Legislation

Fortunately, both the House and the Senate have passed their versions of Mental Health Parity legislation. Now that the time for Congress to adjourn is drawing nearer, it’s time to really start pushing them (in a friendly, “Hey! I’m your constituent and here’s what I’d like to say!” sort of way, of course) to vote on a final version and get ol’ Bush to sign off on it.

Even though Mental Health Parity won’t benefit everyone (you have to work for a company of 50 or more employees that already offers health insurance), it’s still important for every single one of us to do our parts to make this happen. Hey, I’m a freelancer – it probably won’t benefit me at all. But even if I weren’t a mental health advocate, I still know what’s fair. I still know what’s right. Plus, it’s a big step in the right direction and Rome wasn’t built in a day.

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) makes it easy for each of us to send emails to Bush, Cheney, our Representatives, our Senators, and each of the 2008 presidential candidates. Simply visit Mental Health Parity – We Are Only One Step Away!, type your information (name, address, email, phone number – the usual suspects), and click “Send Message.”

It’s that freaking easy. Seriously, you have no excuse not to do this.

Go make your voice heard!

Image: morgueFile

Post from: Blisstree

Mental Health Parity: Urge Congress And President Bush To Make Their Moves

Warning: Rant follows below, after the jump.

Back in August, I told you about the Consumers Union Cover America Tour – the campaign geared toward putting faces on the Americans who don’t have health insurance, who can’t afford their prescription medications, or who otherwise have problems finding affordable and quality health care.

During that post, I pointed out two specific stories: Tom’s story, the man who began experiencing depression from the pain and hopelessness of his health problems and high cost of health care, and Kathy’s story, the woman who compared not being able to pay for her diabetes medicine as “committing suicide slowly.”

Now, I want to point you to Kim’s story.

Kim, a drug safety advocate, shared her story with the Consumers Union when she hosted a house party for the Cover America Tour and supporters in Minneapolis during the Republican National Convention. Kim’s husband, who had no history of depression and was merely having trouble sleeping, committed suicide five weeks after his doctor gave him sample packs of antidepressants. Kim later quit her job to become a freelancer and have more time to devote to her drug safety advocacy work. 18 months later, after her COBRA period was up, Kim tried to get a private health insurance plan from the same health insurance company she’d been with for years.

She was denied.

Once the insurance company saw that she’d used the 20 allotted counselor visits from her previous policy, she was denied. Even though she explained she didn’t have a mental illness – that she used the counseling sessions for grief therapy – she was denied.

The insurance company had the audacity to tell her “mental illness starts out slow” and that she might turn into “Britney Spears.”

Kim finally found coverage with another insurance company, but she had to be able to show that she hadn’t received any psychiatric care in the two years prior to being approved.

You can read Kim’s story and watch her video online. Then, feel free to join in my rants below after the jump.

First, where does the first insurance company get off denying Kim coverage because she used the coverage they offered her? Why offer the counseling services if they were just going to punish her for using them? Was offering the counseling services in the first place just some kind of stunt so the insurance company could say, “Oh, look at us, we’re so advanced, we care about your overall health,” while all along using the coverage to make a list of policyholders who may potentially need mental health care in the future? I think so.

Second, just who the crap does the first insurance company people think they are? Giving Kim advice on the progression of mental illness? Excuse me, but I didn’t know insurance company employees were also trained medical professionals.

Third, how dare they use Britney Spears’s personal life like that.

Fourth, is it just me or does it seem like not one person in the health insurance industry has ever needed a mental health service? I mean, seriously. One in every four people during any given year meets the criteria for a mental illness. Either the three totally mentally health people out of every group of four are working at these health insurance companies, or the people at these health insurance companies who have mental health problems know some secret to mental health care the rest of us don’t.

Fifth, I am appalled – but not shocked – that Kim was basically put through a two-year test to determine whether or not she could get coverage with the other company. People don’t purchase insurance because they don’t need it; people purchase insurance because they do need it, or because they want to be prepared in the event that they need it. Why was this woman made to prove that she wouldn’t need mental health care before she purchased her policy? MONEY.

Essentially, these insurance companies are promoting stigma. If you need mental health coverage, they shun you, making you – and so many other Americans – feel as if your mental health is not something to discuss or deal with.

So, what do you think about Kim’s story?

Image: SXC

Post from: Blisstree

Want To Keep Your Health Insurance? Better Not Use Mental Health Services

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance has issued an URGENT ACTION ALERT regarding the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act.

The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act (S. 1375) is the Senate version of the current postpartum depression legislation. (The House version, the Melanie Stokes Postpartum Depression bill (H.R. 20), has already passed.)

From the Action Alert:

Bill sponsors Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) have been working with Senate leadership to have the PPD bill be voted on this week as part of a package of other health-related legislation.

This is going to happen this week.
That is why we need your help immediately.

Visit the DBSA’s Advocacy In Action page to easily send a letter to your Senators, and then be sure to spread the word to your family and friends!

Image: SXC

Post from: Blisstree

Urgent Mental Health Advocacy Alert: Help Pass The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act!

The House of Representatives and the Senate have both passed their versions of Mental Health Parity (H.R. 1424 and S. 558, respectively); however, in a recent Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) Advocacy Alert, we’re reminded that the battle for Mental Health Parity isn’t quite finished, especially given the limited number of legislative days the House and the Senate have to come up with and agree on Mental Health Parity law that will benefit us all.

After seven years and a lot of blood, sweat and tears, victory is finally within reach. We are so close to the enactment of Mental Health Parity, legislation that would end the discrimination in health coverage between mental illness and “physical” illnesses like diabetes or heart disease.

Thanks to the DBSA, you can easily send an email to your legislators asking them to do just that.

And honestly, after reading the determined and moving passage quoted above, how can you not?

Remember! You have until May 31, 2008 to enter the Mental Health Notes Birthday Giveaway, and forever to join the This Is Why I ROCK! series!

Post from: Blisstree

Mental Health Parity Update: DBSA Advocacy Alert

Tuesday I told you about the shaky mental health care services in Asheville, North Carolina and briefly touched on Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome (ADS), the affliction many folks suffer when they abruptly stop taking their antidepressants.

Keep in mind that ADS isn’t the only negative outcome of losing mental health care coverage – not by a long shot. Abruptly stopping any kind of medication can bring severe mental and physical consequences.

Losing mental health insurance also leaves people without other psychiatric, therapy, and counseling services.

Today, let’s talk about damage control – what you can do if you should ever find yourself without mental health care services.

If you lose your regular health insurance: Regular health insurance is defined as any medical benefit package you get through your employer, through your spouse’s health plan, through an organization with which you’re affiliated, or any individual policy you purchase on your own.

• COBRA: COBRA, or the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, allows you to take your employer-sponsored group health insurance with you for up to 18 months if you switch jobs or your spouse, from whom you obtained the insurance, passes away.
• Individual health insurance policies: Purchasing your own medical care policy is more expensive than paying into group coverage, but definitely less expensive than having no coverage at all.
• Subsidized health care: Contact your state’s department of insurance for information regarding public assistance programs as well as Medicaid and Medicare.

If you lose your subsidized mental health care services: Subsidized health care services, for these purposes, are defined as any health care programs for which you can sign up that are funded by local, state, or federal government.

• Contact your state’s insurance department: Your state’s insurance department may already have a plan in action for folks who’ve lost government-funded mental health care services. The department can also point you in the direction of other nearby programs (i.e. facilities in a neighboring city).
• Sample medications: If you can afford to pay for the occasional doctor appointment, he or she may have the resources to provide you with sample packs of your medication. While not a long-term fix, it will help you avoid abruptly stopping your medication.
• Discount prescription plans: The Internet can be a lifesaver in terms of finding information. Check out PPARx, iVillage’s Medication Assistance Resources, and the various GSK savings programs.
• Self-help: Again, the Internet comes to the rescue. Look into online communities for the therapy sessions you’re missing. Utilize resources available from organizations such as DBSA and NAMI. Refer to your personal recovery plan for steps you can take to maintain your good mental health. You can even reach out to close loved ones with whom you feel comfortable and ask them to “take the place” of your regular counselor or therapist. Chances are, they’ve been doing it for years!

If you have any other suggestions for mental health care “damage control,” share them in the comments!

Image: Newscom

Post from: Blisstree

Damage Control: How To Deal With Losing Mental Health Care Coverage