PHA Responds to Mental Health Parity Bill

Physician Hospitals of America sent a press release in response to the recent passage of the Mental Health Parity Bill in the House of Representatives. Below is the statement:

Washington, D.C. – In a stunning move, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to prevent America’s Medicare recipients from being admitted to some of the nation’s best and safest hospitals.

By a narrow margin, lobbyists for corporate hospital chains and other large hospitals were able to alter what was supposed to be the long-awaited passage of a Mental Health Parity bill.

Officials from Physician Hospitals of America (PHA), the professional association representing physician operated hospitals and surgical facilities, believe most House members did not know the impact of their vote.

“It is hard to imagine that during an election year any member of Congress would consciously vote to take away the right of Medicare recipients to choose the best and safest hospital available,” said Molly Sandvig, JD, executive director of PHA. “We are hopeful that this sneak attack on seniors and physicians will be stripped off when the legislation is in Conference Committee.”

The addition of Section 6 to HR 1424 would prevent the federal Medicare program from paying for surgery or other hospital care for senior citizens if they choose to go to a hospital operated by physicians, not bureaucrats or administrators without medical training.

Currently, physician operated hospitals are rated among the best and safest facilities in the country. A recent investigation by Forbes magazine noted that the smaller, physician-operated hospitals consistently have the lowest rates of hospital acquired infections.

Sandvig said that comments from both Democrats and Republicans seemed to indicate that House and Senate conferees are already looking at stripping off the lobbyist’s amendment in order to ensure passage of Mental Health Parity.

“Frankly, what the big hospital chains and their lobbyists did was shameful,” said Sandvig, “but at least they have come out of the shadows and confirmed that they are more interested in making money than what’s good for patients and physicians.”

Physician Hospitals of America has established a toll-free telephone number for citizens to contact their Representatives and Senators in Washington. The number is (800) 977-1902.

For more on how the bill will affect the industry, click here.

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