NAMI E-News September 23, 2002 Vol. 02-98
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Family Opportunity Act Needs Support
In July, the Senate Finance Committee favorably reported S 321, the Family
Opportunity Act (FOA) out of committee, an important step in moving this bill
towards passage. NAMI is now asking advocates to urge action on FOA (HR 600) in
the House. It is expected that the House Energy and Commerce Committee could
mark up FOA in the next week. However, Energy and Commerce Chairman, Billy
Tauzin (R-LA), a cosponsor of the bill, is looking at alternative proposals
outside of Medicaid to mark-up as a substitute for HR 600, the original bill
that NAMI has supported for the last 3 years. It is imperative that House Energy
and Commerce Committee members hear from NAMI families and advocates on the
importance of taking up the Family Opportunity Act as introduced in the House.
Why is FOA (HR 600) important to families and children with severe mental
illness?
FOA is intended to end the financial devastation that families too often
encounter in attempting to access quality treatment for their children with
mental illnesses. As many NAMI members know firsthand, families are often
tragically forced to give up custody of their children to obtain the most
appropriate treatment and services for them. This legislation offers stability
and recovery to children with severe and chronic disabling disorders, including
early-onset mental illnesses and is a measure that will help put an end to this
horrible choice that loving and caring families must make in cases where there
has been no abuse or neglect.
Under the bill, states would have the option to offer Medicaid coverage to
children with severe disabilities living in low to middle income families
through a buy-in program. The House bill would offer families up to 300% of
poverty the ability to buy-in to the Medicaid program. (Currently, 300% of
poverty would cover a family of four with an income of about $52,950, the bill
reported out of the Senate Finance Committee would cover up to 250% of poverty
or a family of four with an income of about $45,000). The sponsors of this
legislation specifically constructed the bill through a Medicaid buy-in because
they recognized the importance of the benefits and services provided in the
Medicaid program to children with severe disabilities-services that may not be
available in private insurance or the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
The Family Opportunity Act as introduced has wide bipartisan support with 75
Senate co-sponsors and 239 House co-sponsors. With state budget issues a concern
to all, it is important to note that this is a state option, and not a mandate.
Further, the House has recognized the importance of this bill to families and
included funding for the implementation of FOA in the House FY 2003 budget.
For more information on FOA and what is included in the bill, please see
http://www.nami.org/update/20010407.html
NAMI greatly appreciates the efforts of the sponsors of this legislation.
Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX), Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA), Senator
Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) have continued to
champion this legislation to help families with children with severe
disabilities.
Action Requested
- All NAMI members and advocates are urged to contact members of the House
Energy and Commerce Committee (listed below)-Let them know that (1) it is
crucial for families to pass the Family Opportunity Act this year, (2) that the
Committee should mark up HR 600 as soon as possible as introduced because
struggling families of children with severe health care needs require the
comprehensive benefits that only Medicaid provides.
-NAMI members who have a Representatives that is a cosponsor of this legislation
should thank them for their continued support of the Family Opportunity Act and
ask that they continue to support the bill as introduced. If your Representative
is not a co-sponsor of HR 600, remind them of the importance this bill would
have to families struggling to avoid bankruptcy and/or the tragedy of
relinquishing custody of their child just to get the proper treatment and
services.
To find out if your member is a cosponsor please visit,
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HR00600:@@@P
All members of Congress can be reached by calling the Capitol Switchboard at
202-224-3121 or by going to the policy page of the NAMI web site at
www.nami.org/policy.htm and click
on "Write to Congress."
There is no excuse for Congress to go home without passing this bill so that
parents of children with severe mental illnesses are not forced to relinquish
custody, impoverish their families or file for bankruptcy to qualify their child
for Medicaid.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Members:
Billy Tauzin (Houma & New Iberia, LA)
Michael Bilarakis (Clearwater, FL)
Joe Barton (Arlington, TX)
Cliff Stearns (Ocala, FL)
Paul Gillmor (Port Clinton, OH)
Christopher Cox (Newport Beach, CA)
Nathan Deal (Gainesville, GA)
Richard Burr (Winston-Salem, NC)
Ed Whitfield (Hopkinsville, KY)
Greg Ganske (Des Moines, IA)
Barbara Cubin (At-Large WY)
John Shimkus (Springfield, IL)
Heather Wilson (Albuquerque, NM)
John Shadegg (Phoenix, AZ)
Chip Pickering (Meridian, MS)
Vito Fossella (Staten Island, NY)
Roy Blunt (Joplin, MO)
Tom Davis (Fairfax County, VA)
Ed Bryant (Germantwon & Columbia, TN)
Robert Ehrlich, Jr (Lutherville, MD)
Steve Buyer (Kokomo, IN)
George Radanovich (Fresno, CA)
Charles Bass (Nashua & Concord, NH)
Joseph Pitts (Lancaster, PA)
Mary Bono (Palm Springs, CA)
Greg Waldon (Bend & Medford, OR)
Lee Terry (Omaha, NE)
Ernie Fletcher (Lexington, KY)
John Dingell (Dearborn, MI)
Henry Waxman (Los Angeles, CA)
Edward Markey (Medford, MA)
Ralph Hall (Rockwall, TX)
Rick Boucher (Abingdon, VA)
Edolphus Towns (Brooklyn, NY)
Frank Pallone, Jr. (Long Branch, NJ)
Sherrod Brown (Portage County, OH)
Bart Gordon (Murfreesboro, TN)
Peter Deutsch (Key West, FL)
Bobby Rush (Evergreen Park, IL)
Anna Eshoo (Palo Alto, CA)
Bart Stupak (Marquette, MI)
Eliot Engel (Bronx & Yonkers, NY)
Thomas Sawyer (Akron, OH)
Albert Wynn (Silver Spring, MD)
Gene Green (Houston, TX)
Karen McCarthy (Kansas City, MO)
Ted Strickland (Marietta & Portsmouth, OH)
Diana DeGette (Denver, CO)
Thomas Barrett (Milwaukee, WI)
Bill Luther (Woodbury, MN)
Lois Capps (Santa Barbara, CA)
Mike Doyle (McKeesport, PA)
Chris John (Lafayette, LA)
Jane Harman (Redondo Beach, CA)
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The NAMI E-News is an electronic newsletter delivering the latest in federal
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individuals with severe mental illnesses and their families.
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Thank you.
Last Updated on
04/14/04
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