Dr. M. Arnold, PhD, RN Licensed Psychologist - Registered Nurse Psychological Services, Behavioral Health Counseling, Consultation and Education Focused on the Needs of Older Adults Western Suffolk/Eastern Nassau Counties, LI, NY Long Term Care Settings (631) 271-9863 "It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)Margaret Norris wrote:
Cooleagues, Please see below regarding Medicare mental health parity. Margie Norris
To: margienorris@hotmail.com Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 14:01:34 -0700 Subject: Now is the Time for Mental Health Parity From: mrcadvocacyupdate@medicarerights.orgAsclepios Your Weekly Medicare Consumer Advocacy Update
Now is the Time for Mental Health Parity
May 15, 2008 • Volume 8, Issue 20 When the current session of Congress got under way last year, many observers expected that lawmakers would, at long last, pass legislation requiring health insurers to offer coverage for mental health services on par with the coverage provided for physical ailments. The House and Senate still need to come to agreement on a mental health parity bill covering private insurers. Ending Medicare's discriminatory coverage of mental health services is much more straightforward. The coinsurance rate for mental health services needs to be reduced from 50 percent to 20 percent, the share of costs that people with Medicare pay for doctor visits, wheelchairs, physical therapists and other treatments for diseases of the body. The House of Representatives has already passed legislation to end this discrimination. The Senate has the opportunity to follow suit in a Medicare bill that must be passed by the end of June in order to avert a scheduled 10 percent cut for doctors. If the Senate fails to make mental health parity a part of the midyear Medicare bill, there will not be another opportunity this year and this shameful discrimination will continue. Please urge your senator to demand that any new Medicare legislation provide parity for mental health care.
