House Subcommittee Approves Mental Health Parity Legislation

Main Category: Mental Health
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 12 Oct 2007 - 10:00 PDT

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The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee by voice vote on Wednesday approved legislation (HR 1424) that would require health insurers to provide equal levels of coverage for physical and mental illnesses, CQ Today reports. Before the measure was passed, committee Democrats defeated several amendments offered by Republicans that would have made the bill more similar to legislation (S 558) passed in the Senate last month (Armstrong, CQ Today, 10/10). The House bill includes provisions not included in the Senate legislation, including a broader definition of medical conditions that insurers would have to cover. In addition, the Senate bill would take effect one year after the legislation becomes law, while the House bill would be implemented Jan. 1, 2008 (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 9/27). The full House committee might consider the legislation as early as Tuesday, according to an aide (Edney, CongressDaily, 10/10). However, subcommittee ranking member Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) said Republicans might ask for a delay (CQ Today, 10/10).

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