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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
class=719502320-10012006><FONT size=5><FONT color=#000000><STRONG><U>COVERAGE OF
TIMOTHY'S LAW IN THE NEWS:</U></STRONG></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=#000000
size=5></FONT></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>Pataki
Signs Bill on Parity in Health Care
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P></NYT_HEADLINE><NYT_BYLINE type=" "
version="1.0"></NYT_BYLINE>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The New York Times</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN>December 23, 2006<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><NYT_HEADLINE type=" "
version="1.0"><FONT color=#000000 size=3>By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Ending months of uncertainty, Gov. George E. Pataki
yesterday signed into law a bill requiring that commercial insurance policies
pay for mental health care in much the same way they cover physical
illness.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The Assembly and the Senate reached agreement on the terms
of the bill in June — though they did not complete passage of it until this
month — but for six months the governor would not say publicly what he intended
to do with it.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The signing ceremony was a rare victory for the kind of
emotional politics that rarely succeed in a government most often moved by large
electoral blocs, moneyed interests and lobbyists. Many legislators credited
passage of the bill to the family of Timothy O’Clair, a boy who committed
suicide at 12, who campaigned relentlessly for the measure.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Despite the widespread attention given to the O’Clair
crusade, the effect of such health care mandates, which can raise insurance
premiums, is narrower than it appears. Most people have health insurance through
large employers or unions, plans that are usually governed by federal law, which
exempts them from state laws.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>In addition, most commercial policies already cover mental
health treatment, which the governor said had helped allay his concerns about
cost, and so do government programs like Medicare and Medicaid.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Business organizations — whose members pay for most health
insurance — and insurance companies generally oppose these kinds of mandates.
But they did not work against the mental health bill this year, after small
employers were exempted and after coverage that would have mandated treatment
for alcohol and drug addiction was taken out of the bill.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Timothy O’Clair killed himself in 2001, after the mental
health benefits provided by his parents’ insurance ran out. His parents, Tom and
Donna, who live near Schenectady, set out to prevent the same thing from
happening to other families, taking up a cause that advocates for the mentally
ill had pursued for years.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>They drove countless times to the Capitol, pigeonholing
lawmakers and staying through late-night sessions. In particular, Mr. O’Clair, a
mechanic who has Timothy’s image tattooed on his arm, became a fixture at the
Capitol, and many lawmakers say they were won over by his persistent, poignant
appeals.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>“We, collectively, lost Timothy, not just his family and
friends,” Mr. O’Clair said yesterday, standing beside Mr. Pataki in the opulent
Red Room in the State Capitol. “Anybody whose life he may have affected as an
adult, as a student going through college, as a father, a grandfather — we all
lost Timothy.”</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Legislative leaders agreed on the bill in June, but by
then, both houses had finished their regular session for the year. The Senate
returned in September and passed the bill, but the Assembly did not return until
this month. The bill passed both houses unanimously, but even after the bill was
sent to the governor on Dec. 13, it was not clear what he would do.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>In September, when the Senate majority leader, Joseph L.
Bruno, told reporters that Mr. Pataki had said he would sign it, the governor
said he did not recall the conversation.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Mr. Pataki, who leaves office in little more than a week,
said he satisfied himself that the bill did not unduly raise health insurance
costs. But he said he was concerned that employers and insurers might not have
time to comply with the law, which takes effect on Jan. 1.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>“There does need to be time to implement it adequately, and
I would hope that early next year that the Legislature will take a look to see”
if businesses should be given more time, he said.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The law requires that commercial insurance policies like
those bought by employers provide equivalent coverage, or parity, for mental and
physical illness. An employer with fewer than 50 workers could opt out, but the
insurer would be required to offer a policy that covered mental illness. The law
pledges that the state will develop a method to help small businesses pay for
that coverage if they choose to buy it.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>As of early this year, 22 states had parity laws, according
to a review by the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the number may
have grown since then. Many of those, like <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State>’s, include exceptions for small
businesses and substance abuse treatment.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>There were at least 17 other states that mandated some kind
of mental health coverage, but not full parity with other health
benefits.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN class=v18blb><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>GOV OKS
INSURANCE LAW FOR MENTALLY ILL <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><SPAN class=v18blb><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">New
York</I></SPAN></st1:place></st1:State><SPAN class=v18blb><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> Post</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class=a10bl><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">December 23,
2006</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN class=a10bl><o:p><FONT
color=#000000 size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
size=3><FONT color=#000000><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><SPAN
class=a10bl>ALBANY</SPAN></st1:City></st1:place><SPAN class=a10bl> - Gov. Pataki
yesterday signed into law a measure requiring insurance companies to provide far
more coverage for mental illness.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The ceremonial bill-signing follows years of tireless work
by Tom and Donna O'Clair of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Schenectady</st1:City></st1:place>. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Their 12-year-old son, Timothy, killed himself in 2001
after their insurance ran out and they had to give up custody of him so he could
get public-funded psychiatric treatment. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"This is a gift," Tom O'Clair said of Timothy's Law. "As
Timothy was a gift to us, Timothy's Law is a gift to <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">New York</st1:State></st1:place>." </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The bill requires insurance companies to cover 30 inpatient
and 20 outpatient days of treatment for mental illnesses. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Companies must give full coverage for "biologically based"
mental illnesses including major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder,
obsessive-compulsive disorder and anorexia. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Timothy's Law would also require coverage for children with
attention-deficit disorder, disruptive behavior disorders or disorders that
include suicidal symptoms. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The state would pay for the premium increase for companies
with 50 or fewer employees. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The measure is expected to increase premiums about 3
percent and no more than 10 percent, while providing a much wider array of
mental-health services. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"I commend the efforts of Tom and Donna O'Clair in helping
to get this law enacted," Pataki said. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"Sharing their experiences . . . was no doubt a difficult
task, but through their tireless work and the support of numerous groups and
individuals, individuals with mental illnesses will benefit."</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>New era
for health care<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>Governor
signs bill, Timothy's Law, that requires insurance plans to cover mental illness
treatment<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Newsday</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN>December 23, 2006</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT color=#000000 size=3>BY
DAVE MARCUS<BR>Staff writer Melissa Mansfield contributed to this
story.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Many New Yorkers are about to find relief from some of the
stigma - and the expense - of mental illness.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Responding to a grassroots lobbying effort that took
several years and attracted supporters from all political parties, Gov. George
Pataki Friday signed legislation requiring health insurance plans to cover
treatment for mental illness ranging from anorexia to depression.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Dubbed "Timothy's Law," after Timothy O'Clair, a
12-year-old upstate resident who committed suicide in 2001, the law recognizes
that mental health is as important as physical health.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"It's the end of legalized discrimination," said Diane
Lang, of <st1:place w:st="on">Massapequa</st1:place>, who attended the signing
to honor her son John, 19, who has battled mental illness. They have gone public
to encourage other families to come out of the shadows. Lang and others at the
ceremony said insurance companies have endangered patients by limiting visits to
therapists and psychiatrists.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Insurance companies and businesses fought the legislation,
arguing that expanding coverage would increase costs for companies and the
insured. Supporters noted the law will apply to 7 million of <st1:State
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State>'s 19 million
residents. Many others belong to union and corporate plans regulated by federal,
not state, laws.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The final version of the law says the state will pay for
increased costs to businesses with 50 or fewer employees. It covers fewer
services for adults than for children, and it does not require coverage for
substance-abuse programs.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Still, the mental health community on <st1:place
w:st="on">Long Island</st1:place> and across the state cheered the reform. "This
is about parity," said Margo Messina of the family advocate program of the North
Shore Child and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Family</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Guidance</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. "If you have diabetes, you get
whatever medication and appointments you need but if you have a mental health
problem, managed care companies usually limit the number of sessions and visits
to psychiatrists," she said.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Kim Spicciati of East Islip, who attended the <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Albany</st1:place></st1:City> ceremony with
daughter Erica, talked about her 17-year-old stepson, who died after an alcohol
overdose. "He had some mental health insurance, but he couldn't get all the help
he needed," she said. ". . . Anybody who has to go without services, the whole
family suffers with them."</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>One of the supporters of Timothy's Law was Senate Majority
Leader Joseph Bruno, a Republican who has said his granddaughter has
anorexia.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Lang said her son John, who has had "a long list of
diagnoses," throughout the years, skipped the ceremony because he has started a
job. She said, "He's walking, talking proof that recovery happens."</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>Staff
writer Melissa Mansfield contributed to this
story.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN class=storyhead><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Law
improves mental health coverage</B></SPAN><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><o:p></o:p></I></B></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Poughkeepsie</I></st1:place></st1:City><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> Journal</I> OP-ED<SPAN class=date> <SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN>December 24, 2006</SPAN><BR><SPAN class=byline><!-- BODY TEXT --><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">By LUBNA
SOMJEE</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>There is some good news for people in <st1:State
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State> state who use
mental health services.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>After many years, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State> has a law that will bring its
citizens closer to mental health parity, with Gov. George Pataki's signing of
Timothy's Law on Friday.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Parity means <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New
York</st1:place></st1:State> insurers would provide mental health benefits on
par with other medical benefits.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>As many of us know, unlike health insurance benefits for
physical ailments, most mental health and addiction benefits often have cutoffs.
They also typically have higher co-pays for treatment. As a result, many
individuals with mental health issues may receive less treatment than they
need.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Many patients cannot afford to pay out of pocket once their
mental health insurance benefits have run out for the year, and are left
untreated. This has an impact on their well-being, their productivity at work or
school and at home — and understandably affects their families.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The New York State Psychological Association, along with
numerous groups, including the New York State United Teachers and the National
Alliance for the Mentally Ill, have lobbied for more than a decade to try and
gain mental health parity. When passed in the Assembly and the Senate, the
original bill was amended in the process and it does not afford complete mental
health parity. However, it is an important step toward full mental health parity
for New Yorkers.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The legislation takes its name from Timothy O'Clair, a
12-year-old boy from <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Schenectady</st1:place></st1:City> who committed suicide in
2001.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Timothy's parents had sought mental health treatment for
their son because he had attention issues and serious temper problems. When
Timothy was 8, he began treatment but his family would exhaust their 20
outpatient visits per year, and would pay out of pocket to continue treatment.
Timothy also had psychiatric inpatient hospitalizations.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>When the family could no longer carry this financial load
and as a last resort, they decided to place him in foster care so he would be
eligible for Medicaid benefits. His parents continued to hold shared custody and
paid a significant amount of money for statutory child support. Timothy was
finally placed in a residential facility. However, several weeks after his
discharge, he killed himself.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Since this tragedy, the O'Clair family has tirelessly
advocated for mental health parity.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Because of the new law, those who receive mental health
services will see some important changes, including:</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">·</SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN class=byline>Insurers would be
required to provide a minimum of 30 inpatient days of treatment and 20
outpatient days of mental health treatment per
year.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">·</SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN class=byline>Insurers would be
required to provide coverage comparable to medical coverage provided under the
policy for adults and children (under 18 years old) with certain mental health
issues. These include: schizophrenia/psychotic disorders, major depression,
bipolar disorder, delusional disorders, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive
disorder, bulimia and anorexia.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">·</SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN class=byline>Comparable coverage
would also be provided for additional childhood-specific mental health issues,
including attention deficit disorders, disruptive behavior disorders or
pervasive developmental disorders, and where there are one or more of the
following:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><FONT color=#000000
size=3>1. Serious suicidal symptoms or other life-threatening self-destructive
behaviors.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><FONT color=#000000
size=3>2. Significant psychotic symptoms.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><FONT color=#000000
size=3>3. Behavior caused by emotional disturbances that places the child at
risk of causing personal injury or significant property damage.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in"><FONT color=#000000
size=3>4. Behavior caused by emotional disturbances that places the child at
substantial risk of removal from the household.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">·</SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN class=byline>The legislation may
not apply to small companies, meaning those with 50 or fewer employees. However,
companies may be subsidized by the state.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">·</SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN class=byline>Co-payments,
co-insurances and deductibles for mental health treatment would be comparable to
those for physical illnesses.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>It is not clear yet when the legislation will be
implemented, but the signing of Timothy's Law is a victory that brings New
Yorkers one step closer to mental health parity.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I><FONT color=#000000
size=3>Lubna Somjee, Ph.D., is a clinical and health psychologist practicing
psychotherapy and consulting in the mid-Hudson Valley. Her column is published
on the fourth Sunday of each month. Somjee is a member of the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Hudson</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Valley</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Psychological Association and can
be contacted through the association at 845-452-0274. For immediate mental
health assistance, contact the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Dutchess</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Helpline, a unit of the Dutchess
County Department of Mental Hygiene, at 845-485-9700.</FONT></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P><SPAN class=mainstoryhead><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><BR
style="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always" clear=all></SPAN></B></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN class=mainstoryhead><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>New law
requires insurance coverage for mental
illness<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><SPAN
class=mainstoryhead>Buffalo</SPAN></st1:City></st1:place><SPAN
class=mainstoryhead> News<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN>December 23, 2006</SPAN><BR><SPAN class=headbyline>By MICHAEL GORMLEY
</SPAN><BR><SPAN class=headbyline>ASSOCIATED
PRESS<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">(Similar articles were
published in the <st1:City w:st="on">Albany</st1:City></I> Times Union<I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Syracuse</st1:City></st1:place> </I>Post-Standard<I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">)<o:p></o:p></I></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></I></P>
<TABLE class=MsoNormalTable
style="WIDTH: 2.65in; mso-cellspacing: .7pt; mso-table-lspace: 2.25pt; mso-table-rspace: 2.25pt; mso-table-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-table-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-table-left: left; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in"
cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width=254 align=left border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 144.5pt; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes">
<TD
style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 144.5pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element: frame; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-height-rule: exactly"><IMG
height=199 src="cid:719502320@10012006-2660" width=250
v:shapes="_x0000_i1025"><o:p></o:p></P></TD></TR>
<TR style="HEIGHT: 79.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes">
<TD
style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 79.1pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-element: frame; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-height-rule: exactly"><SPAN
class=captiontext>Associated Press</SPAN><BR><SPAN class=captiontext>Gov.
George E. Pataki speaks with Tom O'Clair after signing a new mental health
law named for O'Clair's son,
Timothy.</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><SPAN
class=storytext><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>ALBANY - Tom O'Clair, holding a
Christmas ornament with his son's picture, once again fought back tears as he
explained why a new mental health law is needed to avoid tragedies like his
12-year-old son's suicide. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>But this time, the burly biker, wearing a new suit covering
up the tattoo of Timothy on his biceps, smiled a bit. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"This is a gift," O'Clair said of Timothy's Law, signed
Friday, which will require insurance companies to offer the mental health
coverage he couldn't get for his son. "As Timothy was a gift to us, Timothy's
Law is a gift to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">New
York</st1:State></st1:place>," O'Clair said. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Gov. George E. Pataki said the measure will save the lives
of thousands and improve the lives of thousands more by requiring coverage of
mental illness, including depression and eating disorders. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Timothy killed himself in 2001 after Tom and Donna O'Clair
had to give up custody of him so he could get publicly funded treatment for
emotional problems. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The law requires insurance companies to cover 30 inpatient
days and 20 outpatient days of treatment for mental illness. Companies must
fully cover "biologically based mental illnesses" including major depression,
obsessive compulsive disorder, anorexia and binge eating. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Timothy's Law would also require coverage for children with
attention deficit disorder, disruptive behavior disorders or disorders that
include suicidal symptoms. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The state would pay for the premium increase for companies
with 50 or fewer employees. The measure is expected to increase premiums about 3
percent and no more than 10 percent, while providing a much wider array of
mental health services. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"It is vital that our society take care of those in need,
especially our most vulnerable children," Pataki said. "I commend the efforts of
Tom and Donna O'Clair in helping to get this law enacted. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Implementation of the law may take some time. The bill was
supposed to have been passed by both houses in June, but the Assembly didn't
pass it until this month. That left just days for the industry to adhere to its
conditions, and Pataki said more time will likely be needed. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The New York Health Plan Association agreed, calling a Jan.
1 start date "simply impractical." </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
size=3><FONT color=#000000>About 35 states have similar laws.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT
color=#000000> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT
color=#000000> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><STRONG><SPAN class=articlehead>New law improves mental health
aid</SPAN><BR><SPAN class=articlesubhead>Insurance firms' coverage to
expand<o:p></o:p></SPAN></STRONG></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><SPAN
class=articlesubhead>Binghamton</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN
class=articlesubhead> <EM>Press & Sun Bulletin</EM><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class=datebar>December 23, 2006</SPAN><SPAN
class=articlesubhead><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000>By Tom Wilber<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3><IMG height=810
alt="Text Box: AT A GLANCE
Gov. George E. Pataki signed into law Friday a bill, known as Timothy's Law, that will provide insurance parity for the mentally ill. Under the law, which takes effect Jan. 1:
* Every insured person will have a minimum of 20 outpatient and 30 inpatient visits per year for mental illness.
* The state will cover the costs of providing insurance to businesses with 50 or fewer employees.
* Larger companies will have to provide unlimited treatment for adults with schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, bulimia and anorexia.
* Coverage will also be extended to children under 18 for these ailments, as well as attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorders, disruptive behavior disorders and developmental disorders. To be eligible, a child must be at risk for suicide, serious self-destructive behavior, significant property damage, removal from the home and other problems.
* Businesses with 50 or fewer employees will have the option of adopting the expanded coverage.
* The law will last for three years, allowing the state to analyze its costs and decide whether or not to make it permanent.
-- Gannett News Service
"
hspace=12 src="cid:719502320@10012006-2667" width=294 align=left
v:shapes="_x0000_s1026">A new law will end discrimination against mentally ill
patients with private insurance policies but do little to help those without
insurance, Southern Tier stakeholders said Friday.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>After a decade-long lobbying effort by advocates, Gov.
George E. Pataki signed Timothy's Law on Friday. The bill is named after
12-year-old Timothy O'Clair who committed suicide in 2001. Advocates say his
death is emblematic of a need for insurance companies to provide better coverage
for mental patients.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The law, passed by the state Legislature earlier this
month, requires insurance companies to cover at least 30 in-patient and 20
outpatient days of treatment for a range of mental illness, and to include
coverage of youths with illnesses that cause risk of harm to themselves or
others.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"This ends decades and decades of discrimination," said
Michael Seereiter, a spokesman for the Mental Health Association of New York
State. "It's a long overdue change."</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>More insurance coverage means more money for individuals
and institutions to deal with mental illness, said Assemblywoman Donna A.
Lupardo, D-Endwell, who sits on the Assembly's Mental Health Committee and
co-sponsored the bill.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>But as cost barriers are lowered or eliminated for insured
patients, there will likely be more demands on the Southern Tier mental health
system, already being stretched to capacity, she said.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Mental health services and clinics provided by United
Health Services typically lose money because reimbursement rates cover only a
fraction of their costs, according to administrators. Funding shortfalls have
limited their development.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"This (the new law) will highlight that concern," said
Lupardo, who was an advocate and educator with the Southern Tier Mental Health
Association before she was elected.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Ultimately, more staff and resources -- including
psychiatrists, social workers and clinics -- will become available to meet the
demand in the Southern Tier as more money gets channeled into the system,
Lupardo and Seereiter said.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>That assessment may be overly optimistic, said Dr. Leslie
Major, head of mental health programs at Binghamton General, a UHS hospital. The
largest burden on the system comes from uninsured patients or those on public
programs such as Medicare, and there is nothing in the bill to address
that.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"A law that brought coverage to the uninsured would have
much more impact. But it would cost much more money," Major said.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Often, a lack of hospital beds is actually a reflection of
a lack of places to discharge chronically ill patients to, Major said. Timothy's
Law has merit, he added, because it will provide more help to insured
individuals suffering from serious diseases such as depression, schizophrenia
and bi-polar disease.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"This is better than nothing, but it is not the solution,"
said Christina Boyd, a spokeswoman for United Health Services.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The bill -- the result of compromises and negotiation over
the years -- generally balances the need for benefits for mentally ill patients
with the right for insurance companies to determine who qualifies, said Leslie
Moran, spokeswoman for the New York Health Plan Association, a trade
group.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"It limits the scope to special diseases rather than
opening the door to anything and everything that could be considered a mental
health issue," she said.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The main complaint insurance companies have now is
complying with the law, effective Jan. 1. It's a time frame that is not
feasible, Moran said. "It's a major, major concern," she said. "It creates an
expectation of services that is simply impracticable for plans and the state to
provide. ... We're asking for everybody's patience and
understanding."</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The ceremonial bill signing follows years of work by Tom
and Donna O'Clair of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Schenectady</st1:place></st1:City>. Their son Timothy killed himself
after they had to give up custody of him so he could get public-funded treatment
for emotional problems.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The bill requires insurance companies to fully cover
"biologically based mental illnesses" -- including major depression, obsessive
compulsive disorder, anorexia and binge eating. Timothy's Law also would require
coverage for children with attention deficit disorder, disruptive behavior
disorders or disorders that include suicidal symptoms.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The state would pay for the premium increase for companies
with 50 or fewer employees. The measure is expected to increase premiums about 3
percent and no more than 10 percent, while providing a much wider array of
mental health services.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The bill has been proposed in some form for 20 years. The
O'Clairs have staked out the hallway of the governor's office and lobbied
legislative leaders for years, only to see political deals fall apart. This
week, they held signs outside the governor's office even though Pataki was
traveling and the Legislature won't return to session until January.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"It is vital that our society take care of those in need,
especially our most vulnerable children," Pataki said.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>Pataki
signs "Timothy's Law"<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Journal News</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN><SPAN class=date>December 23, 2006</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN class=thebyline>By Dan Wiessner</SPAN><SPAN class=text>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN class=text><o:p><FONT
color=#000000 size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>(A similar
article also appeared in the <st1:City w:st="on">Elmira</st1:City> Star-Gazette,
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Rochester</st1:City></st1:place>
Democrat & Chronicle)<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
size=3><FONT color=#000000><IMG height=734
alt="Text Box: About the law
Gov. George Pataki signed into law yesterday a bill, known as Timothy's Law, that will provide insurance parity for the mentally ill. Under the law, which takes effect Jan. 1.
- Every insured person will have a minimum of 20 outpatient and 30 inpatient visits per year for mental illness.
- The state will cover the costs of providing insurance to businesses with 50 or fewer employees.
- Larger companies will have to provide unlimited treatment for adults with schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, bulimia and anorexia.
- Coverage will be extended to children younger than 18 for these ailments, as well as attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorders, disruptive behavior disorders and developmental disorders. To be eligible, a child must be at risk for suicide, serious self-destructive behavior, significant property damage, removal from the home or other problems.
- Businesses with 50 or fewer workers will have the option of adopting expanded coverage.
- The law will last for three years, allowing the state to analyze its costs and decide whether to make it permanent.
"
hspace=12 src="cid:719502320@10012006-266E" width=258 align=left
v:shapes="_x0000_s1027"><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><SPAN
class=text>ALBANY</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN class=text> - Gov. George
Pataki signed into law yesterday a measure known as "Timothy's Law" that
requires insurance companies to cover most mental illnesses as well as physical
ailments.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"Timothy's Law is an important step to ensure that
mental-health services are accessible to all individuals and families, so that
they can receive beneficial assistance and treatment for mental illnesses,"
Pataki said.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The law's opponents have expressed concern that it will
drive up insurance premiums and hurt small businesses.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The law requires that insurance policies cover a minimum of
20 outpatient and 30 inpatient visits per year for the treatment of mental
illness. The state will cover the cost of insurance for companies with 50 or
fewer employees, but larger companies will have to pay for additional coverage
for illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression and attention-deficit
disorder.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The legislation is named after Timothy O'Clair, a
12-year-old <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Schenectady</st1:place></st1:City> boy afflicted with mental illness
who took his own life in 2001. His family had limited health coverage and had to
give up custody of Timothy so he could qualify for state-funded
treatment.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"To lose a life because we couldn't get treatment to an
individual is more than motivation" for the law, said Assemblyman Paul Tonko,
D-Amsterdam, who sponsored the bill. Tonko said he knew Timothy before he
died.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Tom O'Clair, Timothy's father, has been pushing the measure
for years and has been a fixture in the Capitol. For the past week he has been
holding a vigil outside the Capitol urging Pataki to sign the bill.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"Anybody who knew Timothy knew how huge his heart was, and
this law is a fitting tribute," O'Clair said. "As Timothy was a gift to us,
Timothy's Law is a gift to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">New
York</st1:State></st1:place>."</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Timothy's Law will take effect Jan. 1 and last for three
years. The Legislature will make a decision about continuing the law in
2009.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>State Sen. Thomas Morahan, R- New City, was the bill's
second sponsor. Morahan is the chairman of the state's Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities Committee. After more than three years in the making,
he said, he was relieved it was signed.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"It's really a great day for the mental-health clients in
the state of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New
York</st1:place></st1:State>," he said.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Though the bill technically starts Jan. 1, Morahan said
lawmakers wanted to give businesses and insurance companies a little extra time
to adjust their policies.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Some business groups expressed disappointment that Pataki
signed the bill, citing increased premiums and a vague explanation of how the
state will fund the program.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"The bill fails on three counts," said Chris Koetzle of
Support Services Alliance, a small-business group. "It doesn't define the true
cost of parity. It doesn't clearly tell us who is going to pay this unknown
cost. It doesn't tell us how it's going to get paid."</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The Business Council of New York opposed to earlier drafts,
but declined to take a position when the Legislature reached a
compromise.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
size=3><FONT color=#000000>The law's cost has been the main point of contention
between supporters and opponents. No one is sure how big the increase in
premiums will be, and estimates have ranged from a few million dollars to as
much as $60 million.<I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><o:p></o:p></I></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN class=blackheadline1><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000></FONT></FONT></B></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN class=blackheadline1><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000></FONT></FONT></B></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN class=blackheadline1><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>Governor
Pataki signs Timothy's Law<I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><o:p></o:p></I></FONT></FONT></B></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN class=blackheadline1><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Capital News 9</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN>December 22, 2006</SPAN><BR><SPAN class=black11>By: Sumi
Somaskanda</SPAN> <SPAN class=story><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P><!-- //===== START BODY =====\\ -->
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN class=story><o:p><FONT
color=#000000 size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
size=3><FONT color=#000000><IMG height=142 hspace=12
src="cid:719502320@10012006-2675" width=190 align=left vspace=4 border=1
v:shapes="_x0000_s1028"><SPAN class=story>It was a day Timothy O'Clair's family
has fought for for more than five years.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"This is a very fitting tribute to Timothy," said Timothy's
father, Tom O'Clair.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Governor Pataki signed Timothy's Law, legislation that
bears the name of Timothy O'Clair, a 12-year-old <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Schenectady</st1:place></st1:City> boy who committed suicide in 2001
after suffering from mental illness. His parents' insurance company didn't
provide coverage for his treatment, but Timothy's Law requires large employers
to provide mental health coverage to adults and children. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
size=3><FONT color=#000000><SPAN class=story>"I can't help but think at this
moment that perhaps this is why he lived. So that we can provide policy that
will address people's issues of affordability and accessibility," said
Assemblyman Paul Tonko.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3><IMG height=142 hspace=12 src="cid:719502320@10012006-267C"
width=190 align=left vspace=4 border=1 v:shapes="_x0000_s1029">Timothy's Law
isn't without controversy. Small business owners said they can't afford to
provide mental health care for their employees, but Timothy's father said
they'll be proven wrong.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"Just the savings in productivity that they will realize
will be an eye-opening experience for them," said O'Clair with tears in his
eyes.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The state will provide financial assistance to small
businesses who struggle with footing the bill. Legislators and employers have
debated this bill for years, one O'Clair calls a no-brainer. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>But, he said he and his family now have the chance to help
other New Yorkers struggling under the burden of mental illness.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><SPAN
class=story><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000><IMG height=142 hspace=12
src="cid:719502320@10012006-2683" width=190 align=left vspace=4 border=1
v:shapes="_x0000_s1030">"The only thing positive that can come from that is that
others suffering can stop," said O'Clair.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The bill takes effect January 1st, but the legislature will
take a look at how much time employers need to comply in the new
year.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000></FONT></FONT></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000></FONT></FONT></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000></FONT></FONT></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000></FONT></FONT></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000></FONT></FONT></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000></FONT></FONT></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>Pataki to
sign Timothy's law on mental health coverage<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Business Review</I>
(<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Albany</st1:place></st1:City>)<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN>December 22, 2006</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT color=#000000 size=3>by
Joel Stashenko</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Gov. George Pataki invited Tom O'Clair and Donna O'Clair to
a state Capitol ceremony Friday to sign a health care mandate bill named after
their son, Timothy. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The O'Clair family has fought for years to add a mandate
that treatment for mental and emotional illnesses be included in health
insurance policies written in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">New
York</st1:State></st1:place> state. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"Timothy's Law," also known as the mental health parity
bill, provides for that coverage. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Conditions that will be covered include eating disorders by
workers or their dependents. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The state Senate surprised many by approving the bill
earlier this year after resisting it because of cost concerns for more than a
decade. The Assembly, which has long supported the measure, approved it during a
one-day special section on Dec. 13. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>In order to win Senate approval, provisions in the bill
mandating coverage for post traumatic stress disorder and for drug and alcohol
dependencies were removed from the legislation. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Sponsors promised to restore those cuts in subsequent
years. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Timothy O'Clair of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Schenectady</st1:place></st1:City> was 12 when he killed himself in
2001. In order to receive affordable treatments for their son, the O'Clairs had
to relinquish custody of him to the state. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Sponsors of the bill say they will provide more than $50
million in subsidies to small businesses to meet the cost of the new health care
coverage mandate. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The legislation calls for the state's insurance
superintendent to figure out the best way of providing that relief to
businesses. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=#000000 size=3>Pataki signs new
health measure</FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Journal News</I>
Editorial<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN><SPAN class=date>December 23, 2006</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><SPAN
class=text><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>Gov. George Pataki, after remaining
mostly mum or noncommittal on whether he would sign the so-called mental-health
parity bill into law, did just that yesterday, providing welcome relief to so
many beleaguered <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New
York</st1:place></st1:State> families.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Under the measure, insurers have to provide coverage for a
host of mental-health conditions, and allow a minimum of 20 outpatient visits
and 30 inpatient treatment days a year. Copayments and deductibles would have to
be comparable to those for physical aliments. The state would pay the extra cost
for premiums - estimates have varied - for employers with fewer than 50
workers.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The bill signing in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Rockland</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> capped a 20-year battle by mental
health advocates. The legislation is named in honor of the late Timothy O'Clair
of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Schenectady</st1:place></st1:City>,
who committed suicide in 2001 as his family struggled to provide him
mental-health treatment. He was 12. Timothy's Law also requires coverage for
children with attention deficit disorder, disruptive behavior disorders or
disorders that include suicidal symptoms.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Someday, the law must be amended to serve more patients,
and conditions. Someday, prejudice and ignorance against mental illness will
give way to wider compassion. For today, New Yorkers should be thankful that
their state had come this far.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>Governor
Signs Timothy's Law<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">WHAM-TV</I> (<st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Rochester</st1:place></st1:City>)<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN>December 26, 2006</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT color=#000000 size=3>By
Kyle Clark</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Governor George Pataki has signed off on a bill known as
“Timothy’s Law” that could change how much <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">New York</st1:State></st1:place> families pays for health care.
</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The measure will require greater health coverage for mental
illnesses, including depression and eating disorders. It is named in honor of a
12-year-old boy from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Albany</st1:City></st1:place> who killed himself in 2001 after failing
to get the care he needed. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Timothy's Law mandates mental health parity, which means
mental illnesses will be covered by insurance, just like physical illnesses.
</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>For years, Debbie Bartlett worked for a service referring
other people to mental health counseling. That was before her own son, Randy,
was diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder. Suddenly Debbie was the one looking for
help. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"We thought all you had to do was make a phone call and
you'd get an appointment and everything works great,” <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bartlett</st1:place></st1:City> said. “(It)
didn't quite work that way.” </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
size=3><FONT color=#000000><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Bartlett</st1:place></st1:City> became a crusader for better mental
health care and sought to end insurance plans that fail to cover mental
illnesses. The bill forces companies with more than 50 employees to offer mental
health insurance. Smaller companies do have the option to offer health
insurance, too. </FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>So far, 40 states have Timothy’s Law in place. <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Bartlett</st1:City></st1:place> said the 39 other
states with similar laws haven't found that medical costs have skyrocketed, and
she feels businesses could benefit from covering medical illnesses. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>"People who are severely depressed or people with children
who have severe mental illnesses lose all kinds of productivity. They lose days
from work. They lose focus at the office. Who can concentrate when you're
wondering if your child is at home suicidal?” <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Bartlett</st1:City></st1:place> said. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Timothy's Law takes effect January 1, but it only covers
biologically based mental illnesses and not ones related to substance abuse.
</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>NY Gov
Signs 'Timothy's Law' Requiring Insurance Coverage for Mental
Illness<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Daily New Central</I>
(<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">NV</st1:State></st1:place>)<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN>December 23, 2006</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN class=authorby>Contributed by</SPAN> <SPAN
class=small>William Angelos</SPAN><SPAN class=mosimage>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN class=mosimage><o:p><FONT
color=#000000 size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
size=3><FONT color=#000000><SPAN class=mosimage>In <st1:State
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State>, insurance
companies will now be required to include coverage for treatment of most mental
illnesses in their policies under a new law signed by Gov. George Pataki on
Friday.</SPAN> </SPAN>New York Gov. George Pataki on Friday signed "Timothy's
Law," in one of the final official acts of his administration. The measure
mandates that insurance companies provide coverage for most mental
illnesses.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Under the law, insurance companies must cover at least 20
outpatient visits and 30 inpatient visits per year for treatment of mental
illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, attention-deficit disorder and
eating disorders. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>It will not, however, require coverage for treatment of
post traumatic stress disorder, or for drug and alcohol dependencies -- a
concession that was necessary to win sufficient support to pass the bill. Its
sponsors have vowed to add those disorders to the list covered by the new law in
future years. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Opponents have argued that "Timothy's Law" will result in a
rise in insurance premiums and place a burden on small businesses, but those
with fewer than 50 employees won't have to pay for the additional coverage --
the state will subsidize the cost. However, larger firms will be required to
foot the bill. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>The law is named for Timothy O'Clair, who took his own life
in 2001 at the age of 12. Because his family's health insurance did not cover
Timothy's mental illness, his parents, Tom and Donna O'Clair, were forced to
give up custody of him so that he could qualify for treatment state-funded
treatment. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><FONT
color=#000000 size=3>Timothy's parents struggled for years to win support for a
legal requirement that insurance policies include coverage for treatment of
mental as well as physical ailments. The two were present at the state Capitol
when the governor signed the bill into law<SPAN class=779493719-28122006><FONT
color=#0000ff
size=2> .</FONT></SPAN></FONT></P></FONT></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>