Affect Public Policy
This week in Congress:
With the advent of 2010, both the House and Senate have passed their own unique versions of health care reform legislation. Following the GOP's recent win of the late Senator Ted Kennedy's Massachusetts Senate seat, Senate Democrats find themselves one vote short of the 60 votes needed to overcome any GOP filibuster to moving forward with their health care reform bill. President Obama and leaders of Congress have decided to pass health care reform using a process known as reconciliation. This process means the House must vote on and pass the Senate bill first before sending it onto the Senate. Reconciliation avoids possibilities of a filibuster by allowing legislation with a budgetary impact, as health care has, to move forward with 51 or more votes.
AMHCA continues to request that its members contact their legislators and ask that Section 1308 of H.R. 3962, the House's health care reform bill, be included in any final health reform bill sent to President Obama for a signature. The Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2009 must continue to stay on legislators' radar screens as a necessary means of expanding mental health access to America's seniors.
Please call the Capitol Switchboard today at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your two U.S. Senators. Once on the phone with your Senators' staffers, request that Section 1308 of H.R. 3962, the House's Medicare eligibility of mental health counselors provision, become part of America's final health reform package. Tell the staffer what Medicare eligibility will mean to you and seniors.
|
Keep public policy supporting you, your profession, and your clients with AMHCA's powerful advocacy initiatives in Congress and state legislatures.
AMHCA’s Office of Public Policy and Legislation works with Federal and State legislatures to protect AMHCA members' interests and their right to practice throughout the United States.
Uncle Sam wants to help you. Please let AMHCA's Office of Public Policy and Legislation know how Washington can help YOU! Please fill out and then submit the survey below to AMHCA's Director of Legislative Affairs either via email at jclements@amhca.org or via fax at (703)-548-4775.
AMHCA Legislative Affairs Survey 2010
At the Federal level, we work with Congress and the Executive Branch to achieve the following objectives:
- to ensure that counselors are recognized in applicable federal laws
- to educate policymakers about the role of mental health counselors
- to increase lawmakers' awareness about mental illness and its effects on people's lives
- to enhance public and private insurance plans so mental health benefits are offered in parity with medical and surgical benefits
White Paper on Wellstone-Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 Interim Final Rule (produced by AHP Consulting Group, February 2010)
Issue Brief: Medicare Reimbursement (May 2009)
Issue Brief: Veterans' Access to Mental Health Counselors (May 2009)
At the state level, we work with AMHCA state chapters to help enact counselor licensure laws and other legislation to ensure that members maintain their right to practice.
AMHCA's legislative advocacy program provides grassroots support for the association's lobbying in Washington, and is necessary for the success of AMHCA's legislative agenda. To join, contact AMHCA Director of Legislative Affairs, Julie A. Clements, J.D, at jclements@amhca.org or 1-800-326-2642, ext. 105. Please provide your name, address, phone numbers and e-mail address. Get involved—join now!