June 19, 2018

HOUSE PASSES KENNEDY BILL TO GUARANTEE MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR KIDS

Would extend mental health parity protections to CHIP beneficiaries

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Joe Kennedy III today applauded the bipartisan passage of his CHIP Mental Health Parity Act in the House of Representatives. With nearly half a million children and pregnant women currently lacking guaranteed mental health coverage under CHIP, Kennedy’s bill would extend behavioral health parity protections — which require insurance companies to treat mental illness on par with physical illness — to all beneficiaries of the program.

“No child, no infant, and no expecting mother should be denied the mental health care or substance use disorder treatment that they need and deserve. With the CHIP Mental Health Parity Act, we can extend the same laws and guaranteed treatment to Americans covered by CHIP that we do for those covered by Medicaid, private insurance and employer sponsored care. As Congress takes a small step towards confronting the opioid epidemic today, this legislation will strengthen all mental and behavioral health care for our neighbors and our kids.”

About the Children’s Health Insurance Program:
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides health coverage to eligible children, babies and pregnant women, through both Medicaid and separate CHIP programs. CHIP is administered by states, according to federal requirements. The program is funded jointly by states and the federal government.

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For Immediate Release:
June 19, 2018 

Contact:
Dan Black (202) 225-5931

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