S.Amdt. 3120
What it does: Adds SEC. ____. TO EXPRESS THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT LEGISLATIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO INSTITUTE EQUITY UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS wherever appropriate
Sen. Gordon H. Smith (R-OR)What it changes
1 change to S.Con.Res. 83
Adds SEC. ____. TO EXPRESS THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT LEGISLATIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO INSTITUTE EQUITY UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS wherever appropriate
Adds a sectionInserted: SEC. ____. TO EXPRESS THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT LEGISLATIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO INSTITUTE EQUITY UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
Inserted: (a) Findings.--
Inserted: (1) Almost 36,300,000 Americans were over age 65 in 2004, with the population projected to almost double to 71,500,000 by 2030.
Inserted: (2) It is estimated that 20 percent of, or over 7 million, adults age 65 and older suffer from a mental illness and that because of population growth and an increased incidence by 2030 this number will grow to 15.7 million.
Inserted: (3) 5,248 older Americans died by suicide in 2003.
Inserted: (4) In 2002, older Americans comprised 12.3 percent of the population, yet represented 17.5 percent of completed suicides.
Inserted: (5) Caucasian men over age 85 are at greatest risk, with a suicide rate almost 5 times higher than the national average.
Inserted: (6) It is reported that among older adults, for every completed suicide, 4 attempts are made.
Inserted: (7) Research shows that 20 percent of older Americans who die by suicide visited their physician within the previous 24 hours of their suicide, 41 percent within the previous week of their suicide, and 75 percent within the previous month of their suicide.
Inserted: (8) The Medicare program discriminates against persons with mental illness by imposing a 50 percent copayment on outpatient mental health services compared to a 20 percent copayment for outpatient physical health services.
Inserted: (9) Correcting this inequity in the Medicare program was one of the top ten White House Conference on Aging resolutions.
Inserted: (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that the functional totals in this resolution assume that Congress should act to provide mental health copayment equity to America's seniors under the Medicare program.
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Original wording
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
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As printed
SA 3120. Mr. SMITH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the concurrent resolution S. Con. Res. 83, setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2007 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2006 and 2008 through 2011; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. ____. TO EXPRESS THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT LEGISLATIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO INSTITUTE EQUITY UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
(a) Findings.--
(1) Almost 36,300,000 Americans were over age 65 in 2004, with the population projected to almost double to 71,500,000 by 2030.
(2) It is estimated that 20 percent of, or over 7 million, adults age 65 and older suffer from a mental illness and that because of population growth and an increased incidence by 2030 this number will grow to 15.7 million.
(3) 5,248 older Americans died by suicide in 2003.
(4) In 2002, older Americans comprised 12.3 percent of the population, yet represented 17.5 percent of completed suicides.
(5) Caucasian men over age 85 are at greatest risk, with a suicide rate almost 5 times higher than the national average.
(6) It is reported that among older adults, for every completed suicide, 4 attempts are made.
(7) Research shows that 20 percent of older Americans who die by suicide visited their physician within the previous 24 hours of their suicide, 41 percent within the previous week of their suicide, and 75 percent within the previous month of their suicide.
(8) The Medicare program discriminates against persons with mental illness by imposing a 50 percent copayment on outpatient mental health services compared to a 20 percent copayment for outpatient physical health services.
(9) Correcting this inequity in the Medicare program was one of the top ten White House Conference on Aging resolutions.
(b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that the functional totals in this resolution assume that Congress should act to provide mental health copayment equity to America's seniors under the Medicare program.
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Senate amendment submitted
March 15, 2006