IV
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 52
Expressing the sense of Congress that equitable mental health care benefits
must be included in any health care reform legislation passed by Congress.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 24, 1993
Mr. KOPETSKI (for himself, Mr. BACCHUS of Florida, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr.
BERMAN, Mr. BOUCHER, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr. CRAMER, Ms. DELAURO,
Mr. DELLUMS, Mr. EMERSON, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. EVANS, Mr. FILNER, Mr.
FINGERHUT, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. GUNDER-
SON, Mr. HOCHBRUECKNER, Mr. HUGHES, Mr. JACOBS, Mr. LEVIN, Mr.
LEWIS of Florida, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MACHTLEY, Mrs. MORELLA,
Mr. SANTORUM, Mr. SHAYS, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mrs. UNSOELD, Mr. WISE,
and Mr. LANCASTER) submitted the following concurrent resolution;
which was referred jointly to the Committees on Ways and Means and
Energy and Commerce
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress that equitable mental
health care benefits must be included in any health care
reform legislation passed by Congress.
Whereas mental illness and substance abuse disorders are
prevalent throughout our society;
Whereas approximately 19 percent of the adult population in
the United States have a diagnosable mental illness or a
substance abuse disorder within any 6-month period;
Whereas mental illness and substance abuse disorders can
strike at any point during a person’s lifetime;
•HCON 52 IH
Whereas 20 percent of Americans under the age of 18, or ap-
proximately 7,500,000 children and adolescents, have
some type of mental illness or emotional disorder;
Whereas 4⁄5 of children in need of mental health care do not
receive services, resulting in significant costs to society as
these children become adults;
Whereas approximately 1⁄3 of homeless people have a mental
illness and approximately 40 percent of homeless people
have a substance abuse disorder;
Whereas there are more Americans with a serious mental ill-
ness in prisons and street shelters than in hospitals;
Whereas the incidence of mental illness and mental health
problems is very costly both to the individual with a men-
tal disorder and to society as a whole;
Whereas mental illness and substance abuse disorders are
devastating to the lives of those afflicted, as there exists
a direct and close relationship between mental health and
overall well-being;
Whereas American businesses lose over $100,000,000,000 per
year due to lost productivity of employees because of sub-
stance abuse and mental illness;
Whereas annual direct costs of treatment for mental illness
and 
substance 
abuse 
disorders 
are 
estimated 
at
$68,000,000,000 and annual indirect costs due to lost
productivity, lost employment, vehicular accidents, crimi-
nal activity, and social welfare programs are estimated to
be approximately $250,000,000,000;
Whereas significant progress has been made within the last
10 years in research into the causes and treatments of
mental illnesses, and many such illnesses are now treat-
able;
•HCON 52 IH
Whereas 70 percent of clinically depressed patients can be
successfully treated by psychotherapy, and 80 percent or
more of clinically depressed patients can be successfully
treated 
by 
combined 
psychotherapy 
and
psychopharmacologic treatments;
Whereas pharmacologic intervention for schizophrenia and bi-
polar disorders, coupled with appropriate rehabilitative
services, can dramatically reduce the rehospitalization
rate for those afflicted with these disorders, improving
the ability of such individuals to live productively in the
community;
Whereas the success rate for the treatment of panic disorders
is between 70 percent and 90 percent;
Whereas significant numbers of persons with mental illness in
the United States find it difficult, if not impossible, to se-
cure needed health care;
Whereas only approximately 30 percent of those in need of
mental health services actually receive them;
Whereas mental health care is treated differently from care
for other health conditions in both public and private fi-
nancing systems;
Whereas 99 percent of insured individuals and their families
have private health coverage for some inpatient mental
health treatment, but only 21 percent have coverage that
is equivalent to their coverage for other illnesses, and
only 2 percent have coverage for outpatient care that is
equivalent to their coverage for other illnesses;
Whereas many private insurance programs continue to dis-
criminate against individuals with mental illness or sub-
stance abuse disorders;
•HCON 52 IH
Whereas although recent changes have improved the treat-
ment of individuals with mental illness or substance
abuse disorders under public insurance programs, such
programs continue to discriminate against these individ-
uals, as evidenced by the fact that the Medicare program
has a 50 percent copayment requirement for mental
health care services but only a 20 percent copayment re-
quirement for all other services; and
Whereas businesses, consumers, and Federal and State gov-
ernments are already paying for mental health care for
the uninsured and underinsured in an inefficient and in-
equitable manner, resulting in much unnecessary pain
and suffering for those afflicted with mental disorders as
well for their families: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that any leg-
islation enacted to reform the health care delivery system
of the United States must ensure that every person has
access to coverage for medically and psychologically nec-
essary treatments for mental disorders that is equitable
to the coverage provided for treatments for physical ill-
nesses, and should contain the following provisions:
(1) Provisions providing for coverage of a broad
array of mental health and rehabilitation services for
individuals of all ages.
(2) Provisions guaranteeing that mental health
services will be available based on medical or psycho-
logical necessity, including provisions prohibiting dis-
•HCON 52 IH
crimination through the imposition of arbitrary bar-
riers to mental health services.
(3) Provisions to ensure that services are based
on individual need and informed choice, with
consumer participation in treatment decisions.
(4) Provisions providing financial protection for
individuals and their families with mental health
needs to prevent these individuals and families from
spending a disproportionate share of their income
and resources to obtain services.
(5) Financing policies that guide service deliv-
ery to the lowest cost settings consistent with appro-
priate care, including provisions ensuring that any
managed care techniques used limit financial con-
flicts of interest and promote real efficiencies while
protecting the patient’s right to quality care, access
to necessary care, and confidentiality.
(6) Provisions to ensure that mental health
services will be coordinated effectively with existing
systems and programs of medical, income, residen-
tial, and social support at the Federal, State, and
local levels.
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