Please pass mental health parity in Medicare so that 80% of mental health bills are covered as opposed to the current 55%.
Why is this important?
The vast majority of those on Medicare who are disabled suffer from a mental illness. This effects millions of people of all ages. Mental health parity, or allowing mental health coverage to be the same as physical health coverage in insurance, was passed by Congress a few years ago for employers' health insurance. Yet, the government's own form of insurance only covers 55% of mental health bills (as opposed to 80% for physical health.) It is critical that Congress even the playing field by passing mental health parity for Medicare as well as for all other insurances. To not do this would be the worst kind of discrimination.
