NAMI Applauds Senate Passage of Mental Health Parity: House Action Urged

Posted on September 19, 2007

The National Alliance on Mental Illness thanks the U.S. Senate for its unanimous passage of S. 558, which provides for equitable mental health insurance coverage.

This is a victory for millions of Americans living with mental illnesses who face unfair discrimination in co-payments, doctor’s visits and hospital stays.

Mental illness does not discriminate. It affects Democrats and Republicans alike. NAMI is profoundly grateful to Senators Pete Domenici (R-NM), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), and Mike Enzi (R-WY) for their bipartisanship leadership and commitment in sponsoring the legislation.

Senate passage is a major step forward, but the work is not over.

Ten years of gridlock in Congress still needs to be broken once and for all. NAMI calls on the House of Representative to pass S. 558 and send it in turn to President Bush so that it can be signed into law.