Legislative

Legislative Alerts: What Can I Do?

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Mental Health Parity

We need your help to gain equality between Mental Health coverage and Medical Health coverage!
In 1996, the Senate passed the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996, which established a parity between the level of mental health benefits and benefits for medical or surgical care. However, this act did not require employers to offer Mental Health Care benefits if they chose not to. However, many businesses still limit their mental health care insurance coverage much more than medical coverage.

In June 2002, President Bush endorsed Mental Health parity and pushed for a compromise between both sides of the parity argument while in New Mexico. This was a definite morale booster for advocates of mental health parity; however, there is concern about watering down the provisions.
This July, The Mental Health Equitable Tax Act of 2002 had 232 supporters, which would have been a sufficient number in order to pass in the House of Representatives. This bill has thus far been opposed by the House Leadership and by insurance and business lobbyists.

It is imperative to get as many cosponsors as possible to maximize chances of passing strong parity legislation before the end of the year. Sample contents for emails and letters are available from ACA Resource.

ACA Resource 800-347-6647 ext. 234 sbarstow@counseling.org
Internet briefing paper: www.counseling.org/government_relations
Please Contact Your Representative phone#(202)224-3121 house.gov www.capwiz.com/counseling

Medicare Coverage for Professional Counselors

Two bills are waiting to be passed by Congress, The Medicare Mental Health Access Improvement Act, and The Medicare Mental Health Modernization Act. These bills would increase the provider options for those covered by Medicare and would reimburse licensed Mental Health counselors for the care they provide.

Furthermore, the new bills would expand Mental Health care to a variety of settings and would eliminate the life time limit on inpatient mental health services. The co-pay for mental health care services would decrease from 50% to only 20%.

Medicare beneficiaries do not have adequate access to mental health services and are often more comfortable seeing a counselor than other types of providers. Urge your Congressmen to support these measures! For more information and a sample letter, contact:

ACA Resource Scott Barstow 800-347-6647 ext. 234 sbarstow@counseling.org
Internet briefing paper: www.counseling.org/government_relations
Contact Senators and Representatives phone #(202)-224-3121
senate.gov
house.gov
www.capwiz.com/counseling

Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program

The Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP) is the only federally funded program designed to provide schools with necessary resources to expand school-based counseling services. ACA is asking Congress to provide $75 million for ESSCP in order to ensure equal benefits for both elementary and secondary schools. School counseling services have been shown to improve students' academic achievement, and there is a large unmet need for these services. Let your voice be heard!

Urge your Congressmen to support this measure! For more information and a sample letter, contact:
ACA Resource: Joan Wodiska 800-347-6647 ext. 241 jwodiska@counseling.org Internet briefing paper: www.counseling.org/government_relations/
Contact Senators and Representatives phne#(202)224-3121 senate.gov house.gov www.capwiz.com/counseling

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What Can I Do?
All advocates of Mental Health Parity, Medicare Coverage of Professional Counselors, and the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program need to act NOW! Those who oppose, have written countless letters. We have to counter their letters by submitting our own, or making phone calls. Any contact would help. Be courteous and persistent.

[Information from taken from]: American Mental Health Counselors Association, August 2002: www.amhca.org & American Counseling Association: www.counseling.org/ctonline