Jim Ramstad: “Mr. Speaker, the issue before us is not just another public policy issue, it's a matter of life or death for 54 million…”

“Mr. Speaker, the issue before us is not just another public policy issue, it's a matter of life or death for 54 million Americans suffering the ravages of mental health and for 22 million Americans suffering from chemical addiction. Last year alone, 300,000 people were denied access to addiction treatment, most had health insurance, and 33,000 people committed suicide from untreated depression. Over 150,000 of our fellow Americans died as a direct result of chemical addiction. On top of the tragic loss of lives, Mr. Speaker, untreated addiction and mental illness cost our economy over $550 billion last year. According to the Wall Street Journal, untreated depression alone cost our businesses $70 billion in lost productivity last year. So it's ludicrous for the opponents to come here and argue that parity will cost businesses $1.5 billion, as my friend from Washington, member of the Rules Committee, did. If you don't believe the Wall Street Journal, certainly those on our side of the aisle, what do you believe? Cost businesses $70 billion, just depression, untreated depression alone. Mr. Speaker, all the empirical data, including all the actuarial studies, show that equity for mental health and addiction treatment will save literally billions of dollars nationally. At the same time, it will not raise premiums more than two-tenths of 1 percent, according to the Congressional Budget Office.”