Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. press release, March 20, 2002

с NEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Rood, Suita 304 lutharvilia, Morylond 21093 315 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C 20515 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Henry Fawell Wednesday, March 20, 2002 202/225-3061 Congressman Ehrlich Takes Aim at Inequalities Facing Mental Health Patients WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Ehrlich (MD-2) joined congressional colleagues today to introduce legislation that eliminates inequalities facing many of Maryland’s thousands of mental health patients. The Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2002, of which Congressman Ehrlich is an original cosponsor, provides for equal coverage of mental health benefits with respect to health insurance coverage. Congressman Ehrlich stated, “Roughly 20 percent of our population suffers from mental disorders in any given year, yet only one in three of those individuals receives treatment. This gross disparity jeopardizes not only the health of individuals seeking quality treatment, but also our workplaces, our economy, and our families.” Roughly 87 percent of health plans routinely force patients to pay more for mental health care than other health care, or put stricter limits on mental health treatment than on other health treatment, according to the General Accounting Office. In addition, untreated mental illnesses cost American businesses $70 billion each year in lost productivity and worker absenteeism, according to the Wall Street Journal. Specifically, this legislation expands the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 (MHPA) to prohibit a covered group health plan from imposing treatment limitations or financial requirements on the coverage of mental health benefits unless there are comparable limitations on medical and surgical benefits. The bill only applies to group health plans that opt to provide mental health benefits and is modeled after the mental health benefits provided through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). In addition, the bill provides a small business exemption for companies with 50 or fewer employees.