Advocacy Initiative Network of Maine

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The Advocacy Initiative Network (the Network) is a statewide organization developed by, for and with customers of mental health services throughout Maine. Our mission is to support the creation and sustainability of programs & initiatives that provide a better quality of life for Maine consumers.

Our beliefs have influenced how we have determined what constitutes consumer involvement.

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Latest News

Health Care Reform in Congress

Tuesday, 26 January 2010

Congress Must Continue Push for Vital Health Care Reforms
Need For Access to Care and Quality Reforms Hasn't Changed --
Congress Must Not Change Course!

Tell Lawmakers to Act Quickly

January 25, 2010-Lawmakers must not abandon the path to enactment of historic House and Senate health care reform legislation. The goal of comprehensive health care reform must remain a priority.

The road to health care reform has been long and not without obstacles. However, this journey is vital for millions of Americans, including uninsured or underinsured children and adults with mental disorders.

Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the United States for people ages 15-44. This population is also at a five times greater risk of a co-occurring medical condition, like heart disease, diabetes or cancer. Tragically, individuals with serious mental illnesses typically die 25 years earlier than the general population because of the high rate of co-occurring chronic diseases.

The 111th Congress has moved our nation closer than ever to fixing this discrepancy through passage of House and Senate legislation that would:

Expand Medicaid eligibility to at least 133% of poverty, including single, childless adults.
Prohibit exclusions for pre-existing conditions, eliminate lifetime or annual dollar limits and ban rates based on health status, gender or occupation.
Require health plans to include mental health, substance use and rehabilitation services in benefit packages and require mental health and substance use parity.
Foster integration of mental and physical care through Medicaid medical homes.
Establish a voluntary, national, long-term care insurance program.

Throughout 2009 your advocacy efforts to members of Congress have helped move these bills through the legislative process ─ and we thank you. Now is the time to remain vigilant and not let lawmakers off the hook. It is paramount to enact comprehensive health care reform legislation and the time is NOW!

Please Act Now!

Contact your members of Congress and urge them to continue to finalize the health care reform legislation approved by the House and Senate.

For details and to see how your lawmakers voted, visit the Bazelon Center's health care reform web page.