Maine Newspapers Advocate Override of Governor’s Veto of Mental Health Bill

Maine Gov. Angus King (I) on April 16 vetoed a bill (LD 1627) that would have expanded a 1995 state mental health parity law that requires health plan policies held by businesses with at least 20 employees to cover treatment of seven mental illnesses. The proposed legislation would have boosted the number of illnesses health plans must cover to more than 40 (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 4/19). The following is a summary of two recent editorials concerning the legislation:

• Bangor Daily News: Maine legislators should override King's veto, a Bangor Daily News editorial says. Although King vetoed the bill because of concerns about increased health costs, the editorial maintains that the bill would have only increased costs for large groups by about $3 per month on average. The editorial notes that covering mental health treatments actually "saves money," adding that the cost of providing such treatment "must be measured in the larger context that also considers disability costs, employee absenteeism and lost productivity" that could result from a lack of treatment. The editorial concludes, "[E]xempting coverage for a range of mental illnesses because other kinds of illnesses now covered cost a lot adds no clarity, establishes no priorities and makes the current hodgepodge of [mental health] coverage seem even more arbitrary. This is no way to build a health care system in Maine or even keep costs from rising" (Bangor Daily News, 4/23).
• Portland Press Herald: The editorial also advocates that lawmakers override King's veto. If enacted, the bill would allow the state to "recognize immediate savings" of about $1 million because residents currently receiving treatment through state programs would be able to use their insurance to receive services from private providers, the editorial notes. The editorial concludes, "Of course, all of these economic arguments rank second behind the most important one: Maine should not discriminate against sufferers of recognized mental illnesses. Treating them on par with those who have physical disorders and diseases is the fair thing to do, even in difficult financial times" (Portland Press Herald, 4/23).