Disagreements between the House and Senate may "thwart" reconciliation of their respective proposals for mental health parity insurance. According to the Daily Report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, lawmakers have characterized negotiations over the past month as difficult. The House version (HR 1424) is considered a more comprehensive bill, requiring coverage of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) disorders. It would also take effect in Jan. 2008. The Senate bill (S 558), which permits insurers to define the disorders, would be delayed by one year.
In the House, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn) have championed equal insurance coverage for mental illness and addictive disorders, citing their own recoveries and the comprehensive insurance programs available to them. In the Senate, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass) and Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) have provided leadership on this and previous parity measures. Neither Ramstad nor Domenici are seeking re-election.
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by Phyllis Vine
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