The White House
Health Care Reform Today
November 18, 1993
- The Employee Benefit Research Institute, a
nonpartisan, nonprofit research institute has taken a look
at the issue of employer mandates and its impact on jobs.
They say: "Using a variety of assumptions, EBRI produced
a range of estimates on the employment effects of
President Clinton's proposal ranging from 660,000 jobs
created to 168,000 jobs lost."
- Concerning mental health benefits: The structure
of the benefit is designed to offer a flexible, continuum
of care that allows health plans to tailor treatment
programs to an individual's special needs. The emphasis
is on encouraging health plans to move to a more flexible
managed benefit approach which relies on a wide array of
services to meet the treatment needs of individuals with
mental illness and substance abuse disorders.
- The initial benefit continues to use day and visit
limits similar to current insurance policies. At the same
time, the benefit is an improvement over current policies
in that it provides coverage for a wider range of services
than in typical insurance today, using substitution
structuring to encourage flexibility and care management.
- One important aspect of the benefit is that
intensive treatment is not limited to residential
settings. Less restrictive, non-residential treatment,
such as partial hospitalization and day treatment
programs, can be provided when appropriate. Appropriate
utilization of these services will reduce reliance on
expensive hospital care and encourage more community-based
treatment. Also important is the inclusion of coverage
for diagnosis, medical management, and crisis services.
Health plans will have the flexibility to use case
management when appropriate.
- Clarifications, changes and corrections have been
made to various sections in the draft bill... the mental
illness and substance abuse benefit has not been singled
out. We want to make absolutely sure the language is clear
and consistent with our policy goals in every area. When
the initial draft of the mental illness and substance
abuse benefit legislative language was made public it
became clear that different interpretations were causing
confusion about the policy intent.
- The President's Health Security Act, as presented
to Congress, immediately addresses some of the most
discriminatory practices within the current insurance
systems. The Act also illustrates the Adminstration's
commitment to making mental illness and substance abuse
coverage part of a nation's comprehensive health coverage.
This commitment is demonstrated by proposing a benefit
structure which will eliminate all differences in
insurance coverage by January 1, 2001.