The U.S. SENATE has at long last passed a bill that would provide parity between mental and medical health coverage. Under the current system there is generally a $10 copayment required when one visits a
doctor for a medical visit. There is, however, usually a $50 or higher copayment when one visits a psychiatrist for a mental illness or a psychologist for depression or other condition.
This new bill would change that. Insurors would be required to provide payment for medical and mental conditions equally.
There's lots of wrangling left as this bill heads to a Senate-House conference. The events of September 11 have highlighted the importance of this bill. Those events have also brought home the understanding that our nation's Mental Health needs EQUAL care.
We abhor the action by the DEA in raiding the West L.A. Marijuana Buyer's Club on October 23rd when 50 agents who might have better spent their time tracking down terrorists descended on the club which serves the medical marijuana needs of some 1,000 patients. All of whom, incidentally, have passed stringent requirements of providing Doctor certifications of their need for medical marijuana.
The Feds claim they have no choice but to enforce the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that all such clubs are in violation of current laws. We thought the Federal law enforcement apparatus was sort of busy these days with ,uh, protecting the country? Put those guys on planes where they can be skymarshalls and reopen
that and all the other clubs now!
The Publisher,
Jerry Schoenkopf
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