NAMI NEW JERSEY ADVOCACY E-NEWS

February 24, 2010

ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:

1. FEDERAL PARITY LAW NOW IN EFFECT - IS IT WORKING FOR YOU?
2. GREYSTONE EXECUTIVE SAYS WHISTLE-BLOWERS WERE NOT REPRIMANDED
3. GROUP SUES HEALTH INSURERS OVER CONFIDENTIAL PATIENT RECORDS
4. LAWMAKER WANTS PERMANENT FUNDING FOR VETS COUNSELING PROGRAM

**********************************

FEDERAL PARITY LAW NOW IN EFFECT - IS IT WORKING FOR YOU?

For many group health plans, the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act went into effect on January 1, 2010. The new law requires most group health plans to cover treatment for mental illness and substance use disorders on the same terms and conditions as medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and asthma. Specifically the new law bars health plans from imposing durational treatment limits (caps on inpatient days or outpatient visits) or financial limitations (higher cost sharing, deductibles or out of pocket limits) that do not also apply to medical-surgical coverage.

The effective date of the new law is actually the beginning of the first new plan year after October 3, 2009. The new law applies to all group health plans sponsored by employers with 50 or more workers.

View the NAMI Fact Sheet:
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?
Section=Issue_Spotlights&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=94856


Share your story on the new parity law by posting on the parity discussion group:
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Forums&template=/Security/Login.cfm

**********************************

GREYSTONE EXECUTIVE SAYS WHISTLE-BLOWERS WERE NOT REPRIMANDED

Doctors at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital who spoke out last year about a lack of adequate medical staff and negative effects on patients were not reprimanded or punished in any way, Greystone’s chief executive officer said today.

Trustee Chairman Eric Marcy said he continues to get letters and phone calls from doctors on the staffing issue, but said they are reluctant to come forward publicly again.

Hospital staffing, including the number of doctors, is frozen as the department awaits a new state budget and directives from new Gov. Chris Christie.

Read more:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/02/greystone_psychiatric_hospital.html

**********************************

GROUP SUES HEALTH INSURERS OVER CONFIDENTIAL PATIENT RECORDS

.A psychologists group is suing two insurance companies and an administrative agency that serve 800,000 state employees, saying they are routinely demanding therapists hand over confidential patient information as a condition of getting paid. The New Jersey Psychological Association accuses the state Health Benefits Commission, along with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Magellan Health Services, of telling therapists to turn over "treatment notes revealing patient thoughts and feelings revealed during therapy, and the treating psychologist’s specific guidance and counseling,’’ according to the lawsuit filed in Superior Court in Mercer County.

Read more:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/02/nj_psychologists_group_sues_3.html

Register your complaints about the actions of your insurance company:
http://speakyourmindnj.org/

**********************************

LAWMAKER WANTS PERMANENT FUNDING FOR VETS COUNSELING PROGRAM

One state senator is seeking permanent funding for a peer counseling program that helps thousands of veterans dealing with mental health issues. "Vet-2-Vet," a toll-free confidential help line, was created five years ago by the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. It's designed as an early intervention for returning veterans suffering from psychological or emotional distress or seeking help assimilating back into civilian life.

Read more:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/02/nj_lawmaker_wants_permanent_fu.html

 


 


NAMI NEW JERSEY, the State's voice on mental illness, is a statewide coalition of self-help support and advocacy groups composed of families and friends of persons with a serious mental illness. With chapters in all 21 counties we are New Jersey's largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals who have a serious mental illness and their families.


Please distribute this Alert to other advocates for improved mental health services in New Jersey.  If you would like to receive NAMI NEW JERSEY Advocacy Alerts by email, contact Phil Lubitz, Associate Director, at advocacy@naminj.org or by phone 732-940-0991.
 

 

NAMI NEW JERSEY
1562 Route 130, North Brunswick, New Jersey 08902
Phone:732.940.0991 Fax:732.940.0355
E-mail: info@naminj.org
Web Address: www.naminj.org
Copyright © 2010 NAMI NEW JERSEY - All Rights Reserved