Comments on: Mental health parity now federal law

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:26:01 +0000

Bill, you would serve you readers well to be discussing these potential peices of legislation that will impact employers, who is supporting and what the potential impact is on employers, employees, morale and productivity. You should do this before the election so your readers can be proactive rather than reactive.

EFCA (Employee Free Choice Act)
HFA (Healthy Families Act)
Lilly Ledbetter Act
Civil Rights Act of 2008
Patriotic Act of 2007
Ergonomic Regulations – OSHA

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:20:18 +0000

Bill – you would do well to run an article on the legislation that is likely to be passed after the next president is decided and what employers should be thinking about now. Things like:

EFCA (Employee Free Choice Act)
HFA (Healthy Families Act)
Lilly Ledbetter Act
Civil Rights Act of 2008
Patriotic Act of 2007
Ergonomic Regulations – OSHA

Some of these are disasters in the making for employers and people should know about them before they go to the polls, not after.

By: R. B.

R. B. — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:03:24 +0000

I also believe it is also a renewal in a sense, but I believe the difference at this time is that it has not been enacted for a short period of time, as has been the case in the past. I may be wrong, but I believe this time, it actually became an Act / law that will continue to be in place indefinitely. I think it takes effect in January of 2010. Also co-pays can’t be higher, nor can deductibles be higher. So I believe there are some differences. Am I correct?

By: Sharon H

Sharon H — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:01:02 +0000

I believe this is not new legislation, but rather a renewal of previous provisions.

By: R. B.

R. B. — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:27:58 +0000

I know I am probably in the minority, but I am glad to see this. I think good mental health plays a huge role in overall physical health and I think providing people care for “health” (rather than compartmentalizing the care) is a positive long-term. I know there is concern about the expense. I am certainly no expert, but I do believe it will not be nearly as expensive as predicted by the nay-sayers and that it will actually support better physical health, which will reduce the expense of some catastrophic health illnesses down the road. There has been a stigma concerning mental illness for far too long. I would hope this will help reduce that stigma and encourage those who need it to get assistance. People who have a mental illness should not be treated any differently than people who have a physical illness and neither individual should be discriminated against.