[Adta] Fw: Mental Health Parity Legislation Passes Senate Committee

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From: <Counseling.&.Education.Department at lists.uncg.edu>
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Sent: Friday, February 16, 2007 10:00 PM
Subject: Mental Health Parity Legislation Passes Senate Committee


>
> E-News from Washington
> Vol. 07-08
> February 15, 2007
>
>
> Mental Health Parity Legislation Passes Senate Committee
>
> Mental health parity took its first crucial step toward enactment on
> February 14, 2007, with Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
> Committee (HELP) passage of S. 558, the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007.
>
> The legislation, which passed by a vote of 18 to 3, was introduced on
> February 12, 2007, by Sens. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), Pete Domenici (R-NM)
> and Michael B. Enzi (R-WY). The passage of the bill, which AMHCA supports,
> is the first Congressional committee approval of parity legislation since
> August 1, 2001.
>
> Below are members of the Senate HELP Committee who voted in favor of the
> legislation. Members of AMHCA are encouraged to contact their offices and
> thank them for their vote. All Senate offices can be reached by calling
> 202-224-3121:
>
> Edward Kennedy, Chair, (D-MA)
> Christopher Dodd, (D-CT)
> Tom Harkin, (D-IA)
> Barbara A. Mikulski, (D-MD)
> Jeff Bingaman, (D-NM)
> Patty Murray, (D-WA)
> Jack Reed, (D-RI)
> Hillary Rodham Clinton, (D-NY)
> Barack Obama, (D-IL)
> Bernard Sanders, (D-VT)
> Sherrod Brown, (D-OH)
> Michael B. Enzi, (R-WY)
> Judd Gregg, (R-NH)
>  Johnny Isakson, (R-GA)
> Lisa Murkowski, (R-AK)
> Orrin G. Hatch, (R-UT)
> Pat Roberts, (R-KS)
> Tom Coburn, M.D., (R-OK)
>
> The following senators voted against S. 558:
>
> Wayne Allard, (R-CO)
> Lamar Alexander, (R-TN)
> Richard Burr, (R-NC)
>
> The legislation closes loopholes enacted in the 1996 federal parity law 
> and
> provides parity for day and visit limits, co-payments, and deductibles. 
> The
> new legislation will protect the 113 million of Americans who have mental
> health coverage through their employers, provided there are at least 50 or
> more employees. The bill, however, does not mandate that companies provide
> mental health benefits.
>
> Please stay tuned to E-News from Washington , the Advocate, as well as
> other AMHCA publications for updates and a sample letter of support for 
> the
> new parity legislation.
>
> For additional information on this or any other issue, please contact Beth
> Powell, AMHCA's director of public policy and professional issues, at
> 800-326-2642, ext. 105, or by e-mail at bpowell at amhca.org
>
>
>
>
> Beth Powell
> Director, Public Policy and Professional Issues
> American Mental Health Counselors Association
> The only organization working exclusively for mental health counselors
> 801 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 304
> Alexandria, VA   22314
> Phone: 703-548-6002, ext. 105
>            800-326-2642, ext. 105
> FAX:      703-548-4775
> Website:   www.amhca.org
> E-mail:      bpowell at amhca.org
> Mark your calendar now: July 26-28, 2007 AMHCA's Annual Conference in New
> Orleans
>