Call to Action from NAATP

For a complete copy of the NAADAC-NAATP Health Care Reform Comments, Click Here

From time to time as we move forward with the health reform process, NAATP will make a request of you to take action.  This is one of those requests. There is some brief background information below regarding the proposal which came out of the HELP Committee.  NAATP is part of a larger coalition which is working to ensure board inclusion of our issues and has determined that there are some key issues which already need to be addressed.

Below you will find a sample cover email which you are asked to send to your Senator on the HELP committee if you have one.  At another point everyone will be asked to contact their legislators, but right now the key is if you have a Senator on the HELP committee that you contact them and their Health Legislative Assistants.  Please be sure to also attach the entire document from the coalition which is also attached.

Thank you for your assistance.

Background

Last week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee released its health care reform proposal, the Affordable Health Choices Act.  The Committee will start formally considering the legislation on June 17th.

The text of the bill can be found at: http://help.senate.gov/BAI09A84_xml.pdf.

The Coalition for Whole Health, a coalition comprised of addiction and mental health groups, has prepared comments on the Committee’s proposal.  We need you to e-mail these comments to your Senator on the HELP Committee as quickly as possible so we can ensure access to mental health and addictive disorder treatment, prevention, rehabilitation and recovery support services are included fully and equitably in the Committee’s health care reform legislation.

Please find below a sample e-mail cover e-mail to go with the attached Coalition comments.  A list of Senators on the Committee and contact information for their health legislative assistant follows the cover note.

Cover Note to go with Coalition Comments

Dear [Senate HELP LA],

Please find attached the comments of the Whole Health Coalition, a coalition dedicated to ensuring that mental health and substance use disorder, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery support services are fully and equitably included in any health care reform bill passed by Congress.  We are hopeful that Senator X will consider including these provisions in the Affordable Health Choices Act.

Our comments include the following broad recommendations:

1. Ensure that the requirements of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act are extended to healthcare plans covered under the Affordable Health Choices Act.
2. Use consistent language and defined terms to include mental health and substance use disorders throughout the legislation.
3. Include substance use disorder prevention in the Act’s provisions that seek to promote general prevention, wellness, and chronic disease prevention.
4. Ensure that screening for mental illness and substance use disorders can be reimbursed under the Act.
5. Include substance use disorder professionals in the Act’s health workforce initiatives.
6. Include in the legislation references to the lead federal agencies on mental health and substance use disorder policy.
7. Require that individuals with MH/SUD be eligible for services provided under the CLASS Act.
8. Protect stronger state consumer protection laws.

Please feel free to contact me with questions.

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) LAs

Dr. Ronald J. Hunsicker, D.Min., President/CEO
NAATP
313 West Liberty Street, Suite 129
Lancaster, PA 17603-2748
(717) 392-8480 – P
(717) 392-8481 – F
E-Mail: RHunsicker@naatp.org
Web: www.naatp.org

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