Rob Andrews: “Someone who is struggling with substance abuse addiction or bipolar disorder, they shouldn't be under a different set of…”

“Someone who is struggling with substance abuse addiction or bipolar disorder, they shouldn't be under a different set of rules for getting their bills paid by their insurance company than if they had a knee injury. That is what this is about. If you have a $500 deductible for knee surgery, you ought to have a $500 deductible for your care for alcoholism or drug treatment or bipolar disorder. The insurance industry would be required to do that under this provision. What would be wrong with that? Why would people be concerned about this? The first argument that we have heard is that there is a defined set of benefits that would have to be offered here to protect people with mental health and substance abuse issues. Well, there is a reason for that, because the insurance industry in this country has made it a practice of telling us what they don't cover. It is a cottage industry for people to find out that procedures are experimental or there is not enough justification. People find out every day that coverage they thought they had is no longer covered. The second objection we hear from people is that this costs too much. That directly contravenes the evidence. As a matter of fact, the evidence shows over the long haul this saves money.”