Achieving Parity for Mental Health Treatment: Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate, One Hundred Seventh Congress, First Session on Examining Mental Health and Our Ongoing Battle to See that Those Suffering from Mental Illnesses Receive the Services They Need and to Provide Parity in Coverage of Mental Health Services, July 11, 2001, Volume 4 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
areas bill bipolar disorder brain Chairman children and adolescents clinical depression committee copayments cosponsor coverage for mental depression diagnoses disability discrimination Employees Health Benefits enacted Equitable Treatment Act ERISA families Federal Employees Health FEHBP FLYNN full parity HARBIN health and substance Health Benefits Program Health Equitable Treatment health insurance Health Parity Act health plans hearing hospital impact implementation important increase inpatient Institute of Mental insurance company issue Magellan Magellan Health Services managed behavioral health managed care ment mental disorders mental health benefits mental health coverage Mental Health Equitable mental health parity mental health services mental health treatment mental illness MHPA networks parity for mental parity laws parity legislation patients Paul Wellstone percent Pete Domenici physical illness premium prepared statement psychiatric psychiatrist schizophrenia Senator Domenici Senator Frist Senator Wellstone STATEMENT OF SENATOR stigma substance abuse suicide Thank tion treat
Popular passages
Page 1 - US SENATE, COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS, Washington, DC. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:02 am, in room SD-430, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Kennedy (chairman of the committee) presiding. Present: Senators Kennedy, Dodd, Wellstone, Murray, Reed, Clinton, Gregg, Frist, Roberts, Collins, and Jeffords.
Page 63 - Now over 7,600 members strong, the AACAP is the leading national medical association dedicated to treating and improving the quality of life for the estimated 7-12 million American youth under 18 years of age who are affected by emotional, behavioral, developmental and mental disorders. AACAP supports research, continuing medical education and access to quality care. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are the only medical specialists fully trained in the treatment of mental illness in children and...
Page 64 - Coverage, with parity, should include a full continuum of treatment — including, but not limited to, preventive interventions, early identification, assessment and diagnosis, case management, outpatient treatment, partial hospitalization, homebased services, detoxification and inpatient treatment. Treatment for children and adolescents requires that services involve the child or adolescent and family as well as appropriate collaboration with other significant caregivers, teachers, physicians or...
Page 65 - Range of Services 2) Services provided should include a wide range of treatment options — including but not limited to preventive interventions, early identification, assessment and diagnosis, case management, outpatient treatment, partial hospitalization, homebased services, detoxification and inpatient treatment. Treatment for children requires that services involve both the child or adolescent and family as well as appropriate collaboration with other significant care givers, teachers, physicians...
Page 66 - Employee Benefit Survey also found that one-half of plans were restricting hospitalization to 30 to 60 days. More than 70 percent of plans were found to have limited either the dollar value of outpatient benefits, or the actual number of visits. These surveys also found that arbitrary limits were often unrelated to actual treatment needs. While the federal Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) and the...
Page 64 - ... support a system of care for a child's treatment plan. Children and adolescents should have direct access to the services that support them and their families. A serious emotional disturbance touches every part of a child's life. Therefore, children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and their families need many kinds of services from a variety of sources, such as schools, community mental health centers, and social service organizations. Studies suggest that effective systems...
Page 67 - Wellstone (D-MN), this landmark law establishes a standard of parity for annual and lifetime dollar limits only. The law applies only to employers that offer mental health benefits; ie, it does not mandate such coverage. More importantly, the MHPA allows for many cost-shifting mechanisms, such as adjusting limits on mental illness inpatient days, prescription drugs, outpatient visits, raising co-insurance and deductibles, and modifying the definition of medical necessity. As the General Accounting...
Page 32 - I would ask that my prepared statement be included in the record. The CHAIRMAN. It will be so included. [The prepared statement of Senator Nunn follows:] PREPARED STATEMENT OF SENATOR SAM NUNN Mr.
Page 70 - Association (APA), the largest membership association of psychologists with more than l55,000 members and affiliates engaged in the study, research, and practice of psychology, appreciates the opportunity to submit this testimony for the record regarding mental health parity.
Page 53 - Approximately 1 70 million Americans who have either commercial or public insurance coverage for mental health and substance abuse have this coverage through a managed behavioral healthcare organization (MBHO). Most managed care organizations and employers subcontract with MBHOs to provide the mental health and substance abuse component of their health insurance benefit package. In addition, AMBHA is a member of the Coalition for Fairness in Mental Illness Coverage. The Coalition for Fairness in...