• Font Size    

Today's Most Popular Video

Fireworks Truck Explodes, Barge Aflame
E-mail

Close Window E-mail This Page

Backers Hopeful For Vote On Mental Health Bill

Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

Send E-mail

   Print     Share +
Jul 20, 2008 12:20 pm US/Central

Backers Hopeful For Vote On Mental Health Bill

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Proponents of mental health insurance long championed by the late Senator Paul Wellstone are hoping that Congress will finally pass the bill this week.

The legislation would mandate equal health insurance coverage for mental and physical illnesses when policies cover both, known as mental health parity.

Both chambers of Congress have already passed different versions of the bill, but negotiators recently reached a compromise. However, before the legislation comes to the floor, they need to find savings in other areas to help pay for it.

Wellstone, a Minnesota Democrat, died in 2002 -- and members of Congress have vowed to pass the bill since then to honor him. It's also a priority of Congressman Jim Ramstad, a Minnesota Republican who's retiring at the end of this term.



(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.