Posted by akc on November 16, 2001, at 16:20:22
Hope you will help!
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NAMI E-News November 16, 2001 Vol. 02-32
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URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT
Congress To Recess Without Passing Parity,
Letters and Phone Calls are Vital
PARITY HANGS IN THE BALANCEThe House and Senate plan to begin their 10 day Thanksgiving recess. Between
November 17 and November 27, most Senators and Representatives will be in their
state and district offices.As members of Congress head home for the holiday still left unresolved in a
House-Senate conference is the Domenici-Wellstone mental illness parity
amendment to the FY 2002 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education
Appropriations bill (HR 3061).
THREAT TO PARITYWhen lawmakers return to Washington, Congressional leaders likely will push
Appropriation's conferees to wrap up this bill which funds the federal
departments of Labor-Health and Human Services and Education (including the
Centers for Disease Control)Anticipating the rush to adjourn after this recess, opponents of parity are
already working hard to prevent House acceptance of the Senate's parity
amendment. Since the 1996 parity law expired October 1, 2001 and has unlikely
renewal prospects during next year's election season, this may be the LAST REAL
CHANCE to bring an end to discrimination and ensure equitable insurance coverage
for treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and other
serious brain disorders..IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED .
NAMI advocates must contact their House member and senators and urge them to
support the Domenici-Wellstone mental illness parity amendment to the
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill. NAMI advocates should use any and all
techniques to contact members of Congress over the next week, including:Direct meetings
Letter
Phone calls
Newspaper editorials
Radio call-in programs
Enlist the support of community leadersMEMBERS OF CONGRESS MUST HEAR NAMI'S MESSAGE
Mental Illnesses are real
Treatment works (when it is available and accessible)
There is no medical or economic reason for health insurance plans to
discriminate between mental illness and other illnesses.(1) Go to: www.congress.org or the Blue Pages in your local phone book to
locate the local state and district offices of your members of Congress.(2) Go to: www.nami.org/policy for advocacy strategies and materials to support
the Domenici-Wellstone amendment.(3) NAMI affiliate leaders in particular should distribute and follow the "6
steps that every NAMI advocate can take to ensure victory for parity in 2001"
found on the NAMI website.(4) NAMI advocates should also urge their House member to sign the
Roukema-Kennedy "Dear Colleague" letter supporting parity.
(The letter urges House leaders to keep the Domenici-Wellstone mental illness
parity amendment in the final version of HR 3061. Nearly 100 House members have
already agreed to sign the letter, more signatures are needed in order to make
the letter as effective as possible)NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL NAMI ADVOCATES TO SEIZE THIS HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO END
INSURANCE DISCRIMINATION ONCE AND FOR ALL!
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(CFC #0538).Currently, NAMI Members number 220,000.
Thank you.
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