Podcast: Talking Parity and Advocacy with Patrick Kennedy

 Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy joins our hosts to talk about mental health and addiction parity, both at the federal and state levels. He shares information about new initiatives, dontdenyme.org and parityregistry.org, designed to help consumers file appeals on their own, if they feel they’ve been wrongly denied coverage by their insurance companies. They speak candidly about the problems faced with regard to parity by those who live with mental health or addiction issues. And finally, they talk about how anyone can become an advocate. Subscribe to Our Show! And Remember to Review Us! About Our Guest Patrick J. Kennedy spent 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Rhode Island’s First Congressional District. He is best known as the lead sponsor of the groundbreaking Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008. Also known as The Federal Parity Law, MHPAEA provided millions of Americans, previously denied care, with access to mental health and addiction treatment by requiring insurance companies to treat illnesses of the brain, such as depression and addiction, no more restrictively than illnesses of the body, such as diabetes and cancer. After the death of his father, Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy in 2011, Patrick left Congress to devote his career to mental health advocacy and enforcement of the Federal Parity Law, pursue a healthier lifestyle, and start a family. Former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy wen...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: General Interview Policy and Advocacy The Psych Central Show Gabe Howard Parity Patrick Kennedy Vincent M. Wales Source Type: blogs