It's time for advocates for state mental health and addiction
parity legislation to get ready and act! State parity legislation
passed in the full New Jersey State Senate as well as in
the New Jersey General Assembly Health and Senior Services
and Appropriations Committees. Now it (S-807/A-2512) must
be posted for a vote before the full New Jersey General
Assembly. We're almost there but we must act.
The New Jersey Legislature will be reconvening after the
November 6 general election to close out its legislative
business in a "lame duck" session before newly
elected legislators are sworn into office in early January.
Please contact Assembly leadership and urge them to make
parity legislation (S-807/A-2512) a priority in the "lame
duck" session by posting it for a vote by the full
General Assembly.
CONTACT OUR LEGISLATORS
Here is the link to the parity action alert to leadership:
http://capwiz.com/ncaddnj/issues/alert/?alertid=10497071&type=CU&show_alert=1
Tell them:
The lame duck session presents the perfect opportunity
for the New Jersey General Assembly to stand up for people
who have been discriminated against in their insurance coverage
for their treatment of mental illness and addiction. I'm
asking that the General Assembly Democratic leadership to
end this kind of insurance discrimination by making mental
health / addiction parity legislation (S-807/A-2512) a priority
and posting it for a vote in the full General Assembly in
lame duck.
A-2512 enjoys the bipartisan support of 38 sponsors because
they have recognized small employers, large employers and
the state can reduce spending and improve the lives of people
with mental illness and/or addiction with the enactment
of S-807/A-2512.
S-807/A-2512 is a cost-saving measure and is good for the
fiscal health of the state budget and the state economy.
It will reduce current cost shifting from the private sector
to the public sector, thereby saving the state money and
expanding treatment access without relying on additional
state resources. This cost shifting has increased costs
to the state by as much as 20 percent.
The consequences of untreated or under-treated mental health
and addiction exacts a heavy financial burden on the state,
as well as large and small businesses. Twenty-five percent
of Medicaid spending went to pay for the consequences of
substance abuse.
S-807/A-2512 will result in significant cost-savings for
public and private employers. Health care costs declined
by 40% for those treated for their depression and by 23%
to 55% following alcohol or drug treatment. For New Jersey's
state and public employers, that represents a savings of
$56 million to $134 million in alcohol-related health care
costs alone, and for private employers a savings of over
$680 million to $1.6 billion.
The Governor's Human Services Transition Policy Group joined
the following panels in recommending the enactment of mental
health and addiction parity:
* The Pension and Health Benefits
Review Commission
* The Mandated Health Benefits
Advisory Commission
* The Governor's Mental Health Task
Force
* The New Jersey Substance Abuse
Prevention & Treatment Advisory
Task Force, NJDHSS
These groups all cited the savings the state would realize
if parity were provided for mental health and addiction
treatment. It will produce savings to society that will
far outweigh the very slight impact it may initially have
on health insurance premiums.
S-807/A-2512 represents a wise investment for the State
of New Jersey, county and local governments, as well as
small and large employers.
Thank you for your consideration of this very important
legislation.
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Or call (800) 792-8630 to contact the following legislators:
Joseph J. Roberts
Wilfredo Caraballo
Patrick Diegnan, Jr.
Bonnie Watson Coleman
Joan Quigley
Neil M Cohen
Linda Stender
Joseph Cryan
John Burzichelli
Linda R. Greenstein
