NAMI UPDATES

Image via Wikipedia Information received from Nami.Org for September 08

We are now closer than ever to ending insurance discrimination in health insurance, for individuals living with mental illness and their families. NAMI is working closely with friends in the House and Senate, Senators Domenici, Kennedy and Enzi, Representatives Kennedy and Ramstad to enact legislation requiring health plans to cover treatment for mental illness on the terms and conditions as all other medical conditions equally.

While this effort to hold private sector health plans accountable moves forward, NAMI achieved another major victory with passage of parity in the Medicare Program. Since its inception in 1965, Medicare has imposed a 50% beneficiary cost sharing requirement for outpatient mental illness treatment.

This is a stark contrast to the beneficiary cost sharing requirement for all other outpatient medical services of 20%. In other words, when a Medicare beneficiary has a visit for diabetes or a heart condition the co-pay is 20%, but for depression or bipolar disorder, the co-pay is 50%. This is
discrimination that must end.

In July, Congress overrode the President's veto of a Medicare reform package that includes a provision lowering this 50% co-pay requirement to 20% over the next 5 years. This is an enormous achievement for NAMI that will have tremendous benefit for Medicare beneficiaries living with mental illness.

NAMI'S advocacy made an enormous difference, both in pressing Congress to address this longstanding discrimination, and in securing support in the House and Senate necessary to finally achieve passage.

We need your continued support to keep providing these and other services to the many people who count on NAMI. It is through donations from you that allow us to fight for these causes. NAMI remains dedicated to the eradication of mental disease and the improvement of the quality of life for all who are affected by these diseases.

Please help NAMI by making a donation today...

Mental Illness affects everyone. It does not discriminate by age, race, gender or economic background. Every day thousands of persons with serious mental illnesses are not able to find the basic services and support necessary to keep them safe and move them toward recovery and a place in the mainstream of their communities. This is simply not acceptable.

People with mental illness deserve access to quality mental health care no matter where they live or what they do. Together we can all remove these barriers.

Please continue to support NAMI by sending a donation either at the Leadership Level of $500.00 or at the level you are comfortble with. A monthly donation of $35.00 will give you a membership to The NAMI Alliance.

Send tax deductible donations to:
NAMI
2107 Wilson BLVD, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201
or contact NAMI to give on at NAMI
If your company matches your donations let them know.
You can also make a donation in the memory of a loved one by calling (703) 524-7600
Consider Giving in the workplace through your United Way.