The AP's Frederic Frommer reports that Minn. lawmakers line up behind mental health parity legislation, except that two of Minnesota's representatives are missing from the ranks of co-sponsors for the Kennedy-Ramstad Mental Health Parity Act (generally known in these parts as the Wellstone Mental Health Parity Act):
Both Minnesota senators and six of the state's eight House members have co-sponsored legislation that would require equal health insurance coverage for mental and physical illnesses, if their policies include both.
David Wellstone, the son of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., is lobbying for the version pending in the House, which is named for his father.
The House bill is sponsored by Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I. His father, Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., introduced the Senate version along with Sens. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.
Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., said that he'd like to see the Senate version strengthened to reflect what's in the House bill, which he said "provides stronger provisions" to protect access to mental health services.
The state's other senator, Democrat Amy Klobuchar, said: "I am committed to working with David Wellstone, Ted Kennedy, and our Minnesota representatives to get a bill that treats people fairly and that Paul Wellstone would be proud of."
Rep. Jim Ramstad, R-Minn., a longtime champion of mental health parity, helped craft the House bill and is one of 268 House co-sponsors. The other Minnesotans sponsoring the bill are Democrats Keith Ellison, Betty McCollum, Jim Oberstar, Collin Peterson and Tim Walz.
"This is not just another public policy issue," Ramstad said. "This is a life-or-death issue for millions of Americans."
Michele Bachmann and John Kline are missing in action on this one.
I am deeply disappointed that Michele Bachmann and John Kline cannot find it in their hearts to back the Mental health parity act. In turning their backs on this issue is nothing short of cold heartedness
Posted by: Mike | June 20, 2007 at 03:40 PM