Later this week, the U.S. House of Representatives will begin debate on comprehensive health care reform legislation. The bill, known as the Affordable Health Care for America Act (HR 3962), contains a number of critical coverage expansions and improvements critical for people living with mental illness. Among these are:

1. Expanded Medicaid eligibility for childless adults up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level (about $16,200 in annual income for individual), including individuals living with serious mental illness who currently do not qualify for Medicaid coverage in their state. These individuals are currently more likely to be uninsured and most likely to be without any health care insurance coverage at all. HR 3962 will ensure access to lifesaving medical care for this vulnerable group.
2.  Expanded coverage for the uninsured through a new national health insurance “Exchange” would be required to have mental health benefits and cover those benefits at parity. This would expand the 2008 federal parity law into the individual and small group market in many states.
3. New protections for individuals that already have insurance coverage or are at risk of losing coverage. Insurance reforms included in the House bill would ensure that people with mental illness could not be denied health insurance benefits on the basis of a preexisting condition or could not be dropped from existing coverage due to their medical condition.

Please contact your House Member and ask them to Support HR 3962

And remember – 1 in 4 families are effected by mental illness

                                  Mental Illness causes more disability that any other illness.

Yet – with proper treatment 80% of those diagnosed do recover!