Peter Roskam has not, by his legislative record so far, proven himself to be a friend of efforts to improve access to health care in our district and in the country at large. This week, he may be presented with an opportunity to change that.

A vote is likely to take place tomorrow in the House on H.R. 1424: Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007. This bill, if enacted, would require parity in the way group health plans treat mental and physical illnesses. In other words, plans would not be allowed to impose treatment limits on services for mental health conditions that are different from those imposed on services for medical and surgical conditions. There would have to be parity in visit limits, co-pays, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums access to out-of-network providers, and lifetime limits for medical and mental health and addiction services. State mandates that are more expansive would not be overridden.

Anyone who has tried to access mental health or addiction services using a typical managed health care plan knows how skimpy these benefits can now be. And the distinction “mental” and “physical” conditions is artificial. These illnesses can pose equally grave risk of death and are often interrelated with so-called “physical” illnesses. The bill is an important step towards ending arbitrary discrimination against persons with mental health and addiction issues.

Peter Roskam has identified health care access and affordability to be among his legislative priorities for 2008. Now is the time for him to put his money where his mouth is.

It seems likely, however, that he will do the opposite and vote against the bill. He has voted in accordance with the National Association of Manufacturers 100% of the time during his first year in office and NAM has opposed such benefit mandates in the past. He also tends to vote pretty consistently with the Christian Right and I know that they are lobbying against this bill. I received an email from Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council the other day that tried to scare me by warning that this would lead to coverage for necrophilia and jet lag.

Please give Peter a call and ask him to vote in favor of H.R. 1424. You may reach his office in Bloomingdale at (630) 893-9670 or in Washington at (202) 225-4561.

It would be great also if Jill Morgenthaler would make public her position on parity.