WASHINGTON – Laws that mandate mental illness should be covered by insurance in the same way as any other illness should be viewed on par with the Civil Rights Act, and they should be enforced with the same dedication, according to the former federal lawmaker who authored the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.
Biases against mental illness are built into society at virtually every level, former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.) noted. Although it’s important to "avoid pathologizing" the human experience, he added, recognizing that mental illness affects all Americans at some level will not only save money, but will also make the nation healthier overall.
In a video interview at the annual meeting of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mr. Kennedy also shared what he believes are the necessary tools to start – and finish – a health care revolution, tools that already exist or are soon to be developed.
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