Call to Action - Mental Health Parity

[emeraldize]

Hello US Site Members:

I've copied this just as I received it today. Although involving Mental Health, this is the Activism forum and many of our members, family and friends area affected by this bill.The person who wrote this noted it takes two minutes--I'm glad to see others including how small an amount of time such activism requires.

Em


MENTAL HEALTH PARITY CALL-IN

Monday, March 3 & Tuesday, March 4.

By Wednesday, March 5, when

Mental Health Parity Bill goes to a Vote

Action: Call On March 3, 4, to March 5 by 8 am, use the toll-free Hotline, 1-866-parity4, (1-866-727-4894), to your House Representative and leave a message urging their active support for the Mental Health and Addiction Parity Legislation.  ( Parity Hotline reaches the U.S. Capitol switchboard, which can connect callers to the offices of their members.)  Phone in & Operator will find & connect you!

Targets: All members of the House.  Takes 2 Minutes!!!

Leave a Message: "I am calling to ask my representative to Vote "YES" on HR 1424 The Paul Wellstone Mental Health & Addiction Equity Act of 2007 & "NO" to any amendments that would weaken the bill.  Please work with the Leadership to Pass Parity Now!"

Status of Parity: S. 558, a compromise negotiated over the previous two years, passed the Senate under unanimous consent on September 18.  H.R. 1424, approved by three House committees, will next go to the Rules Committee and the House Floor.  We hope that the negotiations that are now underway between the House and Senate are successful in devising one compromise bill that can pass in both the Senate and House. 

With a massive grassroots telephone call-in, we hope to impress Congress with a united front that says the parity issue must not be set aside again.

How you can help:
Call your U.S. Representative by March 5 by 8 AM and encourage him/her to vote "YES" on HR 1424 The Paul Wellstone Mental Health & Addiction Equity Act of 2007 & "NO" to any amendments that would weaken the bill.

If leaving a voicemail, include your name and phone number.   

To locate your US Representative go to www.house.gov and enter your zip code in the upper left hand corner, or Just call...1-866-727-4894. 

Takes 2 minutes!        Thanks!

[emeraldize]

To those who did make calls and to everyone who will benefit...


HOUSE PASSES MENTAL HEALTH PARITY LEGISLATION
 
Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation requiring full parity in health insurance plans. The legislation is known as the "Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act" (HR 1424).
 
The legislation would expand the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 by prohibiting group health plans from imposing treatment or financial limitations on mental health benefits that are different from those applied to medical/surgical services. The legislation closes the loopholes from the 1996 law (known as "partial parity") that allowed discrimination in the co-payment, coinsurance, deductible, maximum out-of-pocket limit and day and visit limits. It applies only to group health plans already providing mental health benefits, and excludes (as does current law) health plans sponsored by employers of fewer than 50 people.
 
 


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