How Addiction Fuels CrimeAccording to Wausau Chief of Police Jeff Hardel, 70 percent of criminal activity is alcohol and drug-related. How Addiction Fuels Crime, a March 2 story by Wausau's WAOW, discusses the impact of untreated mental illness and addiction on the criminal justice system as well as the failure of insurance companies to provide adequate mental health and addiction benefits. |
Making Parity RealOn March 5, Rep. Donna Seidel (D-Wausau) co-hosted a Making Parity Real symposium in Wausau to help shape the future of addiction and mental health treatment in Wisconsin. Said Rep. Seidel: “It’s no secret anywhere that drug and alcohol issues and addictions create enormous problems for our communities all around Wisconsin. It’s really important that we address them early.” Watch the news story by Wausau's WAOW. |
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial (Feb. 23)
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Contact Your Representative to Vote to Pass the Wisconsin Parity Act
(Senate Substitute Amendment 1 to SB-362)
On Jan. 28 the Wisconsin Senate passed the Wisconsin Parity Act (Senate Substitute Amendment 1 to SB-362) by a 20-13 vote with strong bipartisan support. Now the legislation advances to the Assembly.
The Wisconsin Parity Act is an important bill that will provide mental health and substance abuse disorder insurance benefits at parity levels—equal to benefits for medical and surgical procedures—for 700,000 employees of Wisconsin’s small businesses not covered by the federal Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, P.L. 110-343.
Action Requested
Contact your Representative TODAY and tell him or her to pass the Wisconsin Parity Act. If you don’t know who your Representative is, visit www.legis.wisconsin.gov/w3asp/waml/waml.aspx
Suggested Message to Representatives
These are just suggestions—it’s best to use your own words and experiences:
I’m writing/calling as a constituent to ask that you vote to pass the Wisconsin
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Act (Senate Substitute Amendment 1 to SB-362) when it is introduced for a vote in the Assembly. As you may know, the Wisconsin Parity Act passed the Senate on Jan. 28 with strong bipartisan support.
- With job creation Wisconsin’s number one economic priority, the Wisconsin Parity Act will play an important role in helping our small businesses be more competitive. Parity provides an opportunity to improve both the mental AND physical health of workers, which can lead not only to lower healthcare costs but also improved employee productivity, saving Wisconsin businesses billions of dollars annually.
- The Wisconsin Parity Act will NOT lead to a dramatic increase in healthcare costs. The most recent, authoritative, independent, expert analysis of the economic impact on private-sector employers of parity—conducted by the Congressional Budget Office and cited in federal regulations released Feb. 2 by the Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services implementing the Wellstone-Domenic Act—concluded that insurance premium costs would increase by just four-tenths of one percent.
- Parity may, in fact, reduce overall health care costs, which are routinely twice as high for people living with substance use disorders and mental health disorders. And numerous studies have shown parity to improve health outcomes for people with heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases.
- The Wisconsin Parity Act recognizes the concerns of small business. Using language consistent with federal guidelines as outlined in the federal Wellstone-Domenici Act, new amendments to the Wisconsin Parity Act will allow employers with fewer than 10 employees to opt out of complying with the parity provision for one plan year at a time. The amendments also permit larger employers who can show that parity has increased their insurance costs by two percent in the first year, and then one percent in later plan years, to opt out for one plan year at a time.
- Research has repeatedly confirmed the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of treatment for persons with mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
- For these reasons I ask that you vote to pass the Wisconsin Parity Act.
Wisconsin Assembly Members
Each of the following eight Representatives voted “yes” on Dec. 17 as members of the Assembly Committee on Health and Health Care Reform to advance the legislation to consideration by the full Assembly. If you contact them, please thank them for their vote and ask for their continued support of this important legislation.
- Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee), rep.richards@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0650
- Rep. Chuck Benedict (D-Beloit), rep.benedict@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-9967
- Rep. Penny Bernard Schaber (D-Appleton), rep.BernardSchaber@legis.wisconsin.gov;
(608) 266-3070 - Rep. Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay), rep.pasch@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7671.
Rep. Pasch is the lead sponsor of the bill. If you contact her, please be sure to thank her for her important leadership. - Rep. Kelda Helen Roys (D-Madison), rep.roys@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5340
- Rep. Donna Seidel (D-Wausau), rep.seidel@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0654
- Rep. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse), rep.shilling@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5780
- Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink (D-Milladore), rep.vruwink@legis.wisconsin.gov;
(608) 266-8366
The full Assembly is:
- Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan), rep.ballweg@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-8077
- Peter Barca (D-Kenosha), rep.barca@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5504
- Terese Berceau (D-Madison), rep.berceau@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3784
- Garey Bies (R-Sister Bay), rep.bies@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5350
- Spencer Black (D-Madison), rep.black@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7521
- Ed Brooks (R-Reedsburg), rep.brooks@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-8531
- Fred Clark (D-Baraboo), rep.clark@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7746
- Pedro Colon (D-Milwaukee), rep.colon@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 267-7669
- David Cullen (D-Milwaukee), rep.cullen@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 267-9836
- Chris Danou (D-Trempealeau), rep.danou@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7015
- Brett Davis (R-Oregon), rep.davis@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-1192
- Kristen Dexter (D-Eau Claire), rep.dexter@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-9172
- Jason Fields (D-Milwaukee), rep.fields@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3756
- Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon), rep.fitzgerald@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-2540
- Donald Friske (R-Merrill), rep.friske@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7694
- Phil Garthwaite (D-Fennimore), rep.garthwaite@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-1170
- Mark Gottlieb (R-Port Washington), rep.gottlieb@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 267-2369
- Tamara Grigsby (D-Milwaukee), rep.grigsby@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0645
- Scott Gunderson (R-Waterford), rep.gunderson@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3363
- Mark Gundrum (R-New Berlin), rep.gundrum@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 267-5158
- Gary Hebl (D-Sun Prairie), rep.hebl@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7678
- Steve Hilgenberg (D-Dodgeville), rep.hilgenberg@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7502
- Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh), rep.hintz@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-2254
- Kim Hixson (D-Whitewater), rep.hixson@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-9650
- Mark Honadel (R-South Milwaukee), rep.honadel@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0610
- Ann Hraychuck (D-Balsam Lake), rep.hraychuck@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 267-2365
- Mary Hubler (D-Rice Lake), rep.hubler@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-2519
- Michael Huebsch (R-West Salem), rep.huebsch@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0631
- Andy Jorgensen (D-Ft. Atkinson), rep.jorgensen@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3790
- Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah), rep.kaufert@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5719
- Samantha Kerkman (R-Burlington), rep.kerkman@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-2530
- Frederick Kessler (D-Milwaukee), rep.kessler@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5813
- Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake), rep.kestell@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-8530
- Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc), rep.kleefisch@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-8551
- Dan Knodl (R-Germantown), rep.knodl@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3796
- Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha), rep.kramer@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-8580
- Peggy Krusick (D-Milwaukee), rep.krusick@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-1733
- Daniel LeMahieu (R-Cascade), rep.lemahieu@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-9175
- Thomas Lothian (R-Williams Bay), rep.lothian@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-1190
- Cory Mason (D-Racine), rep.mason@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0634
- Dan Meyer (R-Eagle River), rep.meyer@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7141
- Nick Milroy (D-Superior), rep.milroy@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0640
- Louis Molepske, Jr. (D-Stevens Point), rep.molepske@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 267-9649
- Phil Montgomery (R-Green Bay), rep.montgomery@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5840
- Jeffrey Mursau (R-Crivitz), rep.mursau@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3780
- John Murtha (R-Baldwin), rep.murtha@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7683
- Stephen Nass (R-Whitewater), rep.nass@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5715
- Tom Nelson (D-Kaukauna), rep.nelson@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-2401
- Lee Nerison (R-Westby), rep.nerison@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3534
- Scott Newcomer (R-Pewaukee), rep.newcomer@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3007
- John Nygren (R-Marinette), rep.nygren@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-2343
- Alvin Ott (R-Forest Junction), Rep.Ott@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5831
- Jim Ott (R-Mequon), Rep.OttJ@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0486
- Joseph Parisi (D-Madison), rep.parisi@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5342
- Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca), rep.petersen@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3794
- Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon), rep.petrowski@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-1182
- Mark Pocan (D-Madison), rep.pocan@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-8570
- Sondy Pope-Roberts (D-Verona), Rep.Pope-Roberts@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3520
- Don Pridemore (R-Hartford), rep.pridemore@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 267-2367
- Mark Radcliffe (D-Black River Falls), rep.radcliffe@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7461
- Kitty Rhoades (R-Hudson), rep.rhoades@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-1526
- Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee), rep.richards@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0650
- Keith Ripp (R-Lodi), rep.ripp@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3404
- Roger Roth, Jr. (R-Appleton), rep.roth@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7500
- Marlin Schneider (D-Wisconsin Rapids), rep.schneider@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0215
- Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville), rep.sheridan@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3387
- Gary Sherman (D-Port Wing), rep.sherman@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7690
- Christine Sinicki (D-Milwaukee), rep.sinicki@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-8588
- Jeffrey Smith (D-Eau Claire), rep.smith@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0660
- James Soletski (D-Green Bay), rep.soletski@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0485
- Richard Spanbauer (R-Oshkosh), rep.spanbauer@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 267-7990
- Tony Staskunas (D-West Allis), rep.staskunas@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0620
- John Steinbrink (D-Pleasant Prairie), rep.steinbrink@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0455
- Jeffrey Stone (R-Greendale), rep.stone@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-8590
- Pat Strachota (R-West Bend), rep.strachota@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 264-8486
- Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford), rep.suder@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 267-0280
- Gary Tauchen (R-Bonduel), rep.tauchen@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3097
- Barbara Toles (D-Milwaukee), rep.toles@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5580
- John Townsend (R-Fund du Lac), rep.townsend@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3156
- Robert Turner (D-Racine), rep.turner@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0731
- Terry Van Akkeren (D-Sheboygan), Rep.VanAkkeren@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0656
- Karl Van Roy (R-Green Bay), Rep.VanRoy@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0616
- Robin Vos (R-Caledonia), rep.vos@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-9171
- Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa), rep.vukmir@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-9180
- Anette Williams (D-Milwaukee), Rep.WilliamsA@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0960
- Mary Williams (R-Medford), Rep.WilliamsM@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-7506
- Jeffrey Wood (I-Chippewa Falls), rep.wood@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-1194
- Leon Young (D-Milwaukee), rep.young@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-3796
- Josh Zepnick (D-Milwaukee), rep.zepnick@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-1707
- Bob Ziegelbauer (D-Manitowoc), rep.ziegelbauer@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-0315
- Ted Zigmunt (D-Francis Creek), rep.zigmunt@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-9870
- Richard Zipperer (R-Pewaukee), rep.zipperer@legis.wisconsin.gov; (608) 266-5120
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| Several local experts and advocates have provided support on behalf of the legislation, including Joanne Grassman (pictured left with her daughter, Leslie Osman, who suffers from anorexia, a disease most health insurance policies traditionally have not covered [photo courtesy the Capital Times]). |
The Wisconsin Parity Act is an important bill that will provide equitable mental health and substance abuse treatment benefits for many of the 700,000 Wisconsin residents left uncovered by the federal Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, P.L. 110-343, which does not protect insured individuals who work in businesses with 50 or fewer employees.
The Wisconsin Parity Act will require most group health plans in Wisconsin to provide mental health and substance abuse disorder benefits at parity levels. This new law will increase treatment for hundreds of thousands of people in Wisconsin, saving lives and lowering costs.
Research has repeatedly confirmed the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of treatment for persons with mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
A new amendment to the bill allows employers with fewer than 10 employees to opt out of the parity provision. The amendment also permits larger employers who can show that parity has increased their insurance costs by two percent to opt out as well.
Wisconsin’s small businesses cannot afford the costs of untreated mental illness and substance abuse. For a minimal investment, parity will save billions of dollars in reduced sick days, increased worker productivity and decreased health care costs.
The Wisconsin Parity Act will NOT lead to a substantial increase in premium costs. A March 4, 2008 study by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) of the law that became the Wellstone-Domenici Act—the most recent, authoritative, independent, expert analysis of parity’s economic impact on private-sector employers—found that parity would increase costs by less than one half of one percent of premium.
Several states have successfully enacted parity legislation! Those states have not seen significant increases in premiums and no significant increase in the number of businesses that have discontinued employee health coverage. In addition, businesses that offer health plans that include mental health and addiction coverage have experienced reductions in absenteeism, turnover and disability costs while at the same time showing increases in productivity.
National Study of Parity Implementation Finds “Negligible” Effect on Overall Health Care Costs
From “Successful Employer Implementation of the Federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act,” a publication of the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health, a program of the American Psychiatric Foundation:
Bottom Line Results for Cost Impact of Parity. Taken together, the results from both actuarial and retrospective studies of past parity programs at the state and national levels consistently indicate that creating parity for mental health and substance abuse services has a negligible effect on overall health care costs in the short term. Examination of the findings from these sources yields an annual cost increase from parity laws in overall insurance premium costs of about one half of one percent (0.5%). An increase of this size translates into a very small cost impact—only an additional $24 per year per person, when 0.5 percent is applied to the $4,704 average cost of health care premiums paid by employers for single coverage employee health insurance benefits (based on a Kaiser study from 2008).
Oregon Plan Finds Mental Health / Substance Abuse Treatment Highly Cost Effective Compared to Treatments for Other Medical Conditions
The Oregon Health Services Commission has ranked medical services for 680 conditions to show which are the most clinically effective and cost effective. Every year when the Oregon Legislature decides how much money to allocate for the health plan, analysts go down the list and decide how many of the conditions they can cover. Starting Oct. 1, 2009 they cover 503 of the 680 conditions.
Both medical / psychotherapy for abuse or dependence of psychoactive substance (line number 5) and medical / psychotherapy for major depression, recurrent (line number 9) ranked ahead of medical therapies for type I diabetes (10), asthma (11) and hypertension (12). Medical psychotherapy for schizophrenic disorders (27) and treatment for bipolar disorders (32) are well above the cut line, and came in ahead of treatment epilepsy (36), rheumatoid arthritis (52), and acute and subacute ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction.
Given what we know about the cost effectiveness of treatments for mental health and substance abuse disorders, why wouldn't we want them to be covered in a manner no more restrictive than the coverage for other conditions?
If you have not yet contacted your representative to share your story and position on this legislation, please do so. If possible, attend events in your district that will allow you to meet with your legislator face to face.
- Contact your legislators to advocate for passage. This legislation is virtually identical to parity bills introduced in previous sessions, with certain added features specifically designed to fill in the gap created following enactment of the the federal Wellstone-Domenici Act. Find your legislators here.
- Share your story. How has the lack of mental health and substance abuse parity impacted you or someone you care about? Contact the New Day Coalition to share your story.
We would never consider other types of "carve-outs" for physical health conditions, such as cardiac and pulmonary diseases, diabetes or orthopedic problems. We provide treatment for these illnesses because not doing so leaves people in pain, unable to function, to work and care for their families. However, many continue to perceive, and dismiss, mental illness and substance abuse as character flaws. This is reflected through the appalling lack of insurance coverage for treatment. 
