Washington, DC – The following statement supports The ERISA Industry Committee’s (ERIC) comments to Senators Bill Cassidy’s M.D. and Chris Murphy’s request for feedback on how Congress can improve certain federal mental health and substance use disorder programs and new policy proposals to address the current crisis. The statement should be attributed to James Gelfand, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs at ERIC:
“The ERISA Industry Committee applauds Senators Cassidy and Murphy for taking an active lead in addressing the need to update federal mental health care and substance use disorder programs and expand their access.
Large employers are ready to work with lawmakers and share how they have successfully expanded benefits for their employees and families while also spotlighting the areas where federal programs can benefit from our policy recommendations.
One area that cannot be overlooked is ensuring that future legislation addresses patient safety. While the pandemic increased the need for mental health care and substance use disorder care, it also highlighted areas where patient safety was lagging, especially at in-patient and outpatient mental health and substance use disorder facilities
Access to safe, cost-efficient mental health and substance use disorder care is achievable, but lawmakers from both parties must work together and consider new, innovative policies.”
Click here to read ERIC’s comments.