Friday, September 05, 2008

Eating Disorders Coalition Action Alert

Friday, September 5, 2008

Eating Disorders Coalition Action Alert

Forwarded on behalf of the Eating Disorders Coalition

As you know the EDC has been on the ground in Washington DC working hard on behalf the all member organizations and the field to make sure access to care is more of a reality by finally passing a mental health parity bill this year. We are sending this out to see if in addition to adding the EDC name to this bill that urges Congress to pass parity in the next 3 weeks before the session is over – you want to add your specific organization’s name. If so we need you to email us at: djaffe@eatingdisorderscoalition.org and let us know by Monday 4 pm (EST). We apologize for the quick turn around required but that is often the way things happen here on the Hill.

Thanks in advance.

Text of Letter:

Dear Majority Leader Reid, Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi and Leader Boehner:

We are writing to express our support for the mental health and

addiction parity compromise developed by House and Senate negotiators.

We urge Congress to pass this important legislation before adjourning in

September.

Congress has taken a major step forward in developing this thoughtful

and balanced bipartisan legislation. We applaud the long, hard work

engaged in by you and your colleagues in approving and reconciling the

bipartisan House and Senate parity bills (H.R. 1424, S. 558). We urge

Congress to take the last, most important step by passing this

legislation.

Passage of the balanced and bipartisan mental health and addiction

parity legislation would represent the fruition of many years of work by

members of Congress, advocates, employer organizations and health plans

to build on the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996. This broad and

diverse coalition stands united in support of the parity compromise.

Now, Congress has the chance to reach the goal of enacting this

consensus legislation, before a new administration and a new Congress

take office, and broader health policy issues begin demanding

policymakers' time and attention.

We ask Congress to pass federal mental health and addiction parity

legislation now.

Sincerely,

[Cosigners as of Sept.3]

Aetna

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

American Academy of Neurology Professional Association

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Academy of Physician Assistants

American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

American Association of Children's Residential Centers

American Association of Pastoral Counselors

American Association of Practicing Psychiatrists

American Benefits Council

American Counseling Association

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

American Group Psychotherapy Association

American Hospital Association

American Jail Association

American Mental Health Counselors Association

American Music Therapy Association

American Nurses Association

American Psychiatric Association

American Psychiatric Nurses Association

American Psychological Association

American Psychotherapy Association

American Public Health Association

American Society of Addiction Medicine

America's Health Insurance Plans

Anxiety Disorders Association of America

Aspire of Western New York

Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare

Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness

Association for the Advancement of Psychology

Association of University Centers on Disabilities

Association to Benefit Children

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Betty Ford Center

Bradford Health Services

Center for Clinical Social Work/ABE

Child Welfare League of America

Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Children's Hospital Boston

Clinical Social Work Association

Clinical Social Work Guild 49

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America

CT Chapter National Alliance Methadone Advocates

Easter Seals

Eating Disorders Coalition

Epilepsy Foundation

Faces & Voices of Recovery

Families for Depression Awareness

Family Voices

Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Council

General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church

Hazelden Foundation

Human Rights Campaign

Kids Project

Kristin Brooks Hope Center

Learning Disabilities Association of America

Light For Life Foundation International

Mental Health America

Missouri Recovery Network

National Alliance for Hispanic Health

National Alliance on Mental Illness

National Alliance to End Homelessness

National Association for Children of Alcoholics

National Association for Children's Behavioral Health

National Association for Rural Mental Health

National Association for the Dually Diagnosed

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders

National Association of Counties

National Association of County and City Health Officials

National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental

Disability Directors

National Association of Health Underwriters

National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems

National Association of School Psychologists

National Association of Social Workers

National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors

National Association of State Directors of Special Education

National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors

National Coalition for the Homeless

National Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers

National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare

National Council of Jewish Women

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence

National Council on Independent Living

National Disability Rights Network

National Down Syndrome Congress

National Down Syndrome Society

National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health

National Mental Health Awareness Campaign

National Partnership for Women & Families

National Research Center for Women & Families

National Respite Coalition

National Retail Federation

National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association

Northamerican Association of Masters in Psychology

Obsessive Compulsive Foundation

Presbyterian Church (USA) Washington Office

Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America

School Social Work Association of America

Society for Research in Child Development

Society of Professors of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Northern Virginia

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education

Suicide Prevention Action Network USA

The Center for Policy, Advocacy and Education of the Mental Health

Association of NYC

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

Therapeutic Communities of America

Tourette Syndrome Association

Union for Reform Judaism

Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

United Church of Christ Mental Illness Network

United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries

United Jewish Communities

US Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association

Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Agreement: When enacted the new federal parity law will-

* Completely end insurance discrimination against mental health

and substance use disorder benefits for over 113 million Americans,

requiring full parity coverage with physical health benefits.

* Extend to all aspects of plan coverage, including day/visit

limits, dollar limits, coinsurance, copayments, deductibles and

out-of-pocket maximums.

* Preserve strong state parity and consumer protection laws while

extending parity protection to 82 million more people who cannot be

protected by state laws.

* Ensure parity coverage for both in-network and out-of-network services.

Resources: Parity fact sheets and past organization signon letters may be viewed at www.mhlg.org/page18.html.

Jeanine Cogan, Ph.D., Policy Director
Eating Disorders Coalition

(202) 352-3208
www.eatingdisorderscoalition.org

No comments: