By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
"This is a big baby step," said Rep. Joe Nixon (R-Houston) as he today announced filing of his HB 1941 that includes treatment and medication for mental health disorders as among those offered in employee health benefits.
Nixon said the legislation is a "win-win" for both Texas employers and employees, and is designed to "take one further step" toward helping workers with mental health issues to have affordable access to proper care.
While admitting that his legislation does not reach "full parity," Nixon said it is a "very, very significant step forward" and asks major insurance carriers to expand their coverage for mental health disorders.
Nixon said businesses that have expanded their health coverage to include mental health services have benefited economically in that their employees are more productive. "When they get appropriate care for themselves or their loved ones, they focus on being more productive members of the workforce," said the Houston Republican. Both employees and employers benefit, he said. "It's a win for everybody."
HB 1941 makes a "ton of good sense," said Maureen Hackett of the Mental Health Association of Greater Houston. She cited a number of large companies that have either expanded their health care coverage regarding mental health issues or gone to full coverage for those illnesses. She cited her personal experience after her daughter was sexually assaulted. She said she was astounded what the assault did to her daughter both emotionally and mentally and what effect it had on the entire family. When her daughter had to be hospitalized, Hackett said she was unaware of the hospitalization costs, which she described as "astronomical."
Hackett said she wondered how anyone could afford such up-front costs. A large company that her husband worked for began to analyze the increase in costs for addition of mental health care and found it to be less than 1.2 percent. The company expanded its mental health care coverage, she said, providing a "great ending to a wonderful story."
The mental health care advocate said numbers prove that the addition or expansion of mental health care is not a cost increase that will put businesses and corporations "in the tank," and the companies will benefit from "less absenteeism and a higher level of productivity" from their workers.
Hackett said mental health care is not only a good thing for business to consider doing, but also described it as "a human rights issue." She said it is a "bipartisan thing we can do together to save lives" and give Texas workers and their families the opportunity "to carry on with normal life."
Rep. John Davis (R-Houston) called mental illness "a real deal." He said it does not discriminate "if you're a Democrat or Republican, or white or black or purple or pink." He said when the brain is "broken," the individual needs medication and counseling. "It ruins lives. Whole families suffer from it," he said.
"Life can turn on a dime and like a terrorist who doesn't pay attention to what's in its wake, mental illness has that same terroristic effect on people's minds" said Rep. David Farabee (D-Wichita Falls). He said while the medical profession has the tools to put lives back together again in cases involving mental illness or mental health, "They can't do that if there is no system of payment." He said treatments work, and workers say they want them in their health plans and are willing to pay for them.
Rep. Rob Eissler (R-The Woodlands) addressed a particular mental health issue - eating disorders. He said in some cases if just two more weeks of treatment were allowed, it could make "the difference in life and death" in the treatment of such disorders. "It's not that expensive," he said, noting addition of mental health coverage would cost approximately $7-$9 a year in additional premiums.
Nixon said his bill has a "carve out" for small business because often when healthcare costs increase, small businesses will eliminate care for their workers. "This will be one of the things they can pick but are not required to," he said. However, major businesses will be required to cover such illnesses as personality disorders, depression and eating disorders. Saying the bill only "really affects large employers," Nixon said he is hopeful that will encourage smaller employers to offer similar coverage.