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Mental Health News
Article Date: 11 Sep 2006 - 5:00am (PDT)
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The New York state Senate this month is expected to
approve legislation that would require insurance
companies to provide mental health coverage at the
same level and out-of-pocket cost as other coverage,
the
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
reports. The Senate and Assembly two months ago
reached an agreement on the measure, "but there was
not enough time to vote on it," the
Press &
Sun-Bulletin reports. The proposal features
the following provisions:
- Every insured person would
receive coverage for a minimum of 20 outpatient
visits for mental health care and 30 inpatient
days per year;
- The state would pay the
additional mental health care costs for
businesses with 50 or fewer employees --
estimated up to $60 million;
- Larger employers would be
required to provide unlimited treatment for
adults with schizophrenia, psychotic disorders,
major depression, bipolar disorder,
obsessive-compulsive disorder, delusional
disorders, panic disorder, bulimia and anorexia;
- Larger employers would have to
provide coverage for the above conditions for
people younger than age 18, in addition to
coverage for attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, disruptive behavior disorders and
pervasive developmental disorders; and
- Smaller employers would be
allowed to opt into the extended coverage
required for large employers.
Sisa Moyo, a spokesperson for Assembly Speaker
Sheldon Silver (D), said the Assembly has not set a
date to act on the bill, adding that the Assembly
hopes to reconvene before the end of the year.
Otherwise, the Assembly would vote on the measure in
January 2007 with an immediate effective date,
Silver said. Sen. Thomas Libous (R), the bill's main
sponsor, said, "I would like very much to pass [the
bill] and get it moving. I've been working on it for
five to six years now. It would be my preference to
get it passed on the 15th" (Matthews, Binghamton
Press & Sun-Bulletin, 9/5).
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