THE SITUATION: Approximately one of every five Americans is experiencing a mental disorder. One of every three families is touched sometime by psychiatric conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, addiction disorders and others. Thanks to today's scientific technology, we know that these conditions are biological brain disorders, not flaws in a person's character. We also know that these conditions cut across all social and economic lines of our society.

THE PROBLEM: Despite the widespread existance of mental disorders in our nation, significant insurance discrimination exists against persons experiencing such conditions. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that 96% of insurance plans impose limits on mental health care that they do not place on physical health care. This discrimination has been seen with respect to available benefits, requirements for co-pays and deductibles, and allowable annual and lifetime dollar expenditures.

CONSIDER THIS: We would never tolerate these practices based on a person's religion, race, gender or ethnic background, and we should not tolerate them when it comes to our fellow citizens who have had the misfortune of experiencing brain disorders. A 1997 national poll found 93% of the public wants this discrimination to end... 

WHAT WE NEED: Michigan Partners for Parity, a coalition of over 50 concerned organizations, is seeking your support for proposed state law which would place no greater restriction and financial burden on coverage for brain disorders than that which exists for other medical care.

PARITY WOULD SAVE MORE THAN IT COSTS: Virtually every economic study done in recent years by accounting firms, government agencies and private institutions has found that the direct, short-term cost of mental health insurance equality (for parity) to employers and insurers is relatively small. Among the many reports confirming this are studies by the Congressional Budget Office, the National Institute of Mental Health and the RAND Corporation, as well as Coopers & Lybrand, which did a specific analysis for Michigan in 1998.

The long-term cost savings that employers, insurers and all of society can gain from mental health insurance parity are enormous.

Highly effective treatments exist for many biological brain disorders, with success rates often greater than treatment of other medical conditions.

Absenteeism is three times higher among workers with untreated mental illness or addiction disorders.

Major depression alone costs the U.S. $23 billion annually in lost work days.

Every dollar spent on treatment of mood disorders such as depression and anxiety yields from three to nine dollars in reduced costs from absenteeism.

Would we stand for a child with a serious heart condition being covered for only 60 lifetime visits to his or her cardiologist? NO.

Would we stand for people being told that they have unlimited hospitalization coverage for most health problems but not for cancers, which will be confined to 20 days a year? NO.

Why, then, should we tolerate such injustice against persons experiencing biological brain disorders? It is time for this inexcusable discrimination to stop, and for Michigan to join the 42 other states that have adopted some form of mental health insurance parity legislation as of January 2007. We've given you a brief overview here. To lend your support or get more information on this important cause please contact us.