American Music Therapy Association, Inc.
8455 Colesville Road, Suite 1000
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, USA
Phone: (301) 589-3300
Fax: (301) 589-5175

Related Government Relations Updates

The mission of the American Music Therapy Association is to advance
public awareness of the benefits of music therapy and increase access
to quality music therapy services in a rapidly changing world.

On Monday, February 1, 2010, President Barack Obama released the FY 2011 budget, which accounts for all budgeting through September 30, 2011.

The Department of Education received significant funding increases. Specifically, a total of $49.7 billion for discretionary programs, an increase of $3.5 billion from FY2010. The President’s Education budget reflects the pending reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, evidenced by an increase in the funding streams for competitive based grants designed to “provide more flexibility, reduce red tape, and holding [people] accountable for results”.

Department of Education Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Summary here:

http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget10/summary/10summary.pdf

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) budget reflects increases in both mandatory and discretionary spending. This includes $81.3 billion in discretionary spending, $491 billion for Medicare, and $300 billion for Medicaid and SCHIP programs combined. President Obama has also proposed a reserve fund for the enactment of Health Reform which invests in developing a “long-term path to affordable, quality health care for all Americans.”

Department of Health and Human Services Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Summary here:

http://www.hhs.gov/asrt/ob/docbudget/2010budgetinbrief.pdf

Paul Wellstone, Pete Domenici Parity Act Prohibits Discrimination

The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury today jointly issued new rules providing parity for consumers enrolled in group health plans who need treatment for mental health or substance use disorders.

"The rules we are issuing today will, for the first time, help assure that those diagnosed with these debilitating and sometimes life-threatening disorders will not suffer needless or arbitrary limits on their care," said Secretary Sebelius. "I applaud the long-standing and bipartisan effort that made these important new protections possible."

"Today's rules will bring needed relief to families faced with meeting the cost of obtaining mental health and substance abuse services," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The benefits will give these Americans access to greatly needed medical treatment, which will better allow them to participate fully in society. That's not just sound policy, it's the right thing to do."

"Workers covered by group health plans who need mental health and substance abuse care deserve fair treatment," said Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin. "These rules expand on existing protections to ensure that people don't face unnecessary barriers to the treatment they need."

The new rules prohibit group health insurance plans-typically offered by employers-from restricting access to care by limiting benefits and requiring higher patient costs than those that apply to general medical or surgical benefits. The rules implement the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA).

MHPAEA greatly expands on an earlier law, the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 which required parity only in aggregate lifetime and annual dollar limits between the categories of benefits and did not extend to substance use disorder benefits.

The new law requires that any group health plan that includes mental health and substance use disorder benefits along with standard medical and surgical coverage must treat them equally in terms of out-of-pocket costs, benefit limits and practices such as prior authorization and utilization review. These practices must be based on the same level of scientific evidence used by the insurer for medical and surgical benefits. For example, a plan may not apply separate deductibles for treatment related to mental health or substance use disorders and medical or surgical benefits-they must be calculated as one limit.

MHPAEA applies to employers with 50 or more workers whose group health plan chooses to offer mental health or substance use disorder benefits.

The new rules are effective for plan years beginning on or after July 1, 2010.

The Wellstone-Domenici Act is named for two dominant figures in the quest for equal treatment of benefits. The late Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN), who was a vocal advocate for parity throughout his Senate career, sponsored the ultimately successful full parity act. He was joined by former Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) who first introduced legislation to require parity in 1992. Champions of the legislation also included the bipartisan team of Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and former Representative Jim Ramstad (R-MN).

The issue of parity dates back over 40 years to President John F. Kennedy, and was also supported by President Clinton and the late Senator Edward Kennedy.

The interim final rules released today were developed based on the departments' review of more than 400 public comments on how the parity rule should be written. Comments on the interim final rules are still being solicited. Sections where further comments are being specifically sought include so-called "non quantitative" treatment limits such as those that pertain to the scope and duration of covered benefits, how covered drugs are determined (formularies), and the coverage of step-therapies. Comments are also being specifically requested on the regulation's section on "scope of benefits" or continuum of care.

Comments on the interim final regulation are due 90 days after the publication date. Comments may be emailed to the federal rulemaking portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. Comments directed to HHS should include the file code CMS-4140-IFC. Comments to the Department of Labor should be identified by RIN 1210-AB30. Comments to the Treasury's Internal Revenue Service should be identified by REG-120692-09.

Comments may be sent to any of the three departments and will be shared with the other departments. Please do not submit duplicates.

• U.S. International Council on Disabilities
• Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen G. Sebelius Announces U.S. Signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Applauds U.S. Decision to Sign the Treaty on Disability Rights

On Tuesday, February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The ARRA is an effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century (www.recovery.gov).

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is designed to help stimulate the economy and encourage recovery from the recession.

A substantial portion of the funding will go towards state fiscal stabilization, which will help states prevent cuts to health and human services programs, stimulate employment, avoid layoffs, and support special and regular education.

Online Resources

www.recovery.gov
Official government website that will contain any and all information related to the distribution of funds.

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/media/pdf/111/arra.pdf
Full summary of the ARRA.

http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery
The US Department of Education has created a site dedicated specifically to ARRA developments as they relate to education. Information will be posted as it becomes available.

http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/statefundsmap.html
Recovery Act (ARRA): State Medicaid Funding Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP)

http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/fmapprocess.html
Recovery Act (ARRA) Medicaid Grant Award Process

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