Congress backing parity bill

The NY Times reports that

Congress on Tuesday moved close to final approval of a bill that would require group health insurance plans to provide more generous coverage for treatment of mental illnesses, comparable to what they already provide for physical illnesses.
....
The House, by a vote of 376 to 47, passed the mental health measure as a free-standing bill. The two chambers agree on the substance of the legislation, which requires equivalence, or parity, in the coverage of mental and physical ailments. Federal law now allows insurers to discriminate, and many do so, by setting higher co-payments or stricter limits on mental health benefits.

President Bush, business groups, insurance companies and mental health advocates all support the measure.

Although the House and the Senate are using different vehicles for the legislation, supporters said that a single mental health bill would soon emerge from Congress and go to Mr. Bush for his signature.

You can read the rest of the article here.

**

In other news, veterans gain US benefits for Lou Gehrig's disesase and the VA will increase benefits for mild brain trauma.

Up to 320,000 troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffered traumatic brain injury, a RAND Corp. study estimated this year. The vast majority of the cases are mild and came from exposure to an explosion, often from a roadside bomb. Most veterans with mild cases recover, Pamperin said, but some are left with permanent problems.

Compensation could reach $600 a month, the VA said. Currently, veterans with symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light, ringing in the ears and irritability and insomnia collect $117. via usatoday.com

and the third report on Medicare fraud and billing is in, this time including stories of prescribing durable medical equipment for those with bubonic plague. Guess they need a wheelchair more than those of us who can't walk....