Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

House Passes Mental Health 'Parity' Bill

Requires comparable insurance coverage for illnesses of body, mind

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 6, 2008 3:00 AM CST
Email

(Newser) – The House has passed a bill requiring most group health insurers to provide comparable coverage for treatment of mental illness and addiction as they do for physical illness, the New York Times reports. "Illness of the brain must be treated just like illness anywhere else in the body," said one lawmaker. Supporters of the bill have been trying to get it passed for more than a decade.

Current law allows insurers to set higher co-payments or stricter limits on mental health benefits. A new law could provide significant aid to many of the 35 million Americans who suffer from mental health problems, according to experts. Many insurers and employers, as well as the White House, prefer the narrower version of the parity bill already passed by the Senate. A committee will now have to iron out the differences between the two.

Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, center, flanked by Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., left, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., right, participates in rally on the Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 5, 2008, to discuss the bipartisan mental health parity legislation. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, center, flanked by Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., left, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., right, participates in rally on the Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday,...   (Associated Press)
Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., left, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, center, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., participate in a rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 5, 2008, to discss the bipartisan mental health parity legislation. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., left, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, center, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., participate in a rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 5, 2008,...   (Associated Press)
Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., center, gestures during a rally on the Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 5, 2008, to discuss the bipartisan mental health parity legislation, Front row, from left are, David Wellstone, son of the late Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Md....
Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., center, gestures during a rally on the Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 5, 2008, to discuss the bipartisan mental health parity legislation, Front row, from left...   (Associated Press)
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, at podium, speaks during a rally on the Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 5, 2008, in Washington, to discuss the bipartisan mental health parity legislation. From left are, David Wellstone, son of the late Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of...
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, at podium, speaks during a rally on the Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 5, 2008, in Washington, to discuss the bipartisan mental health parity legislation....   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment on this story.

Skeptics say House, Senate bills may not be reconciled
WebMD

Minnesotans hail bill named after late senator
KTTV

 
Nancy Pelosi • health insurance • Senate • mental health • House of Representatives • mental illness • addiction

More Newser Stories

Obama to Push Cost Controls in Merging Health Bills

Senate Passes Aid Bill, Drags House Back

Oops: Congress Might Have Killed Its Own Health Care

Conservative Tom Coburn: Pelosi Is 'Nice,' Fox 'Biased'

House Scraps 'Deem and Pass' Procedure
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne