Our Health Policy Matters

This might just be the year for mental health reform in Congress. A few months ago, practically no one would have said that. But on Wednesday of this week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 53-0 to send H.R. 2646 - a significant mental health reform bill - on its way, most likely to the House floor for a July vote.  And in recent weeks, a Senate bill has gathered steam, too, and that chamber could also now take up this legislation this summer. So what happened to make mental health reform a real possibility? First, members of Congress sincerely wanted to do something.  The House proposal, sponsored by Rep. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania and Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, has 199 co-sponsors as of today.  Our mental health system has been in disarray since - well, since as long as anyone can remember. Second, members have finally decoupled mental health reform from gun control.  Mental illnesses and violence have never been stron...

This might just be the year for mental health reform in Congress. A few months ago, practically no one would have said that. But on Wednesday of this week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 53-0 to send H.R. 2646 - a significant mental health reform bill - on its way, most likely to the House floor for a July vote.  And in recent weeks, a Senate bill has gathered steam, too, and that chamber could also now take up this legislation this summer. So what happened to make mental health reform a real possibility? First, members of Congress sincerely wanted to do something.  The House proposal, sponsored by Rep. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania and Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, has 199 co-sponsors as of today.  Our mental health system has been in disarray since - well, since as long as anyone can remember. Second, members have finally decoupled mental health reform from gun control.  Mental illnesses and violence have never been stron...

If 243 members of Congress knew that they were going to develop Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementia, would it change the way they make Medicaid and long term care policy? Or would they continue to deny the inevitable? When Congress convened in 2011, the average age of a House member was 57, and the average age of a senator was 62.   They were approaching the prime years for dementia. If you don’t already have Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementia by the time you turn 65, then your chances of developing it between the ages of 65 and 74 are greater than one in 20.  Your chances of developing it between the ages of 75 and 84 are almost one in 7.  And after that your chances of developing it are one in 4. At today’s prevalence rates, 28 members of Congress will develop dementia between the ages of 65 and 74, 91 between the ages of 75 and 84, and 124 later on. The only thing that will change this trajectory is if they die sooner of something ...

If 243 members of Congress knew that they were going to develop Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementia, would it change the way they make Medicaid and long term care policy? Or would they continue to deny the inevitable? When Congress convened in 2011, the average age of a House member was 57, and the average age of a senator was 62.   They were approaching the prime years for dementia. If you don’t already have Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementia by the time you turn 65, then your chances of developing it between the ages of 65 and 74 are greater than one in 20.  Your chances of developing it between the ages of 75 and 84 are almost one in 7.  And after that your chances of developing it are one in 4. At today’s prevalence rates, 28 members of Congress will develop dementia between the ages of 65 and 74, 91 between the ages of 75 and 84, and 124 later on. The only thing that will change this trajectory is if they die sooner of something ...