Alaska State Legislature
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Wendy Lindskoog, Senate Majority Press Secretary, (907) 258-8184
Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary, (907) 258-8164
716 W 4th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501-1182
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Rep. Con Bunde and Sen. Gary Wilken Win 1998 Award for Mental Health Advocacy

For Immediate Release: July 30, 1998 Contact: Representative Con Bunde at 258-8168 or Senator Gary Wilken at (907) 456-3709 or Janet McGillivary, President - MHAA, at 563-0880.

Anchorage -- Representative Con Bunde (R-Anchorage) and Senator Gary Wilken (R-Fairbanks) will receive the 1998 Legislative Award from the Mental Health Association in Alaska for their efforts to bring health insurance parity to Alaskans experiencing mental illness.

The award recognizes Representative Bunde and Senator Wilken's successful efforts in passing Senate Concurrent Resolution 14, establishing the Alaska Task Force on Mental Health Parity. The award will be presented at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, July 31, at the Petroleum Club of Anchorage, 3301 C. St., Suite 120, (Calais II Building).

"This is the start of a long process of addressing inequities in the insurance industry," said Janet McGillivary, president and chief executive officer of the Association. "People with physical illnesses are given much more latitude, including lifetime benefits and other services that simply are not available to people with mental illnesses."

Alaska has an estimated 44,000 people suffering from mental illnesses, which in 1996 cost the state nearly $188 million in lost productivity, absenteeism, disability and early death. While Congress and some states have passed laws addressing some elements of insurance parity, the mentally ill are still not treated equally in all aspects of most health insurance plans.

"It doesn't seem right that insurance will pay in full for someone who sees an orthopedist to get back on his feet physically, but won't pay for that same person to see a psychologist to get back on his feet mentally," Bunde said.

"Equalizing the availability of mental health benefits has many plus sides. It will allow more people to overcome their illnesses and enter the working world; it will have little negative impact on the private sector; and it will reduce reliance on Medicaid and other public welfare programs," Wilken said.

The 11-member task force of legislators, public health officials, insurance industry representatives and others will study the differing costs of providing treatment and insurance coverage for physical and mental illnesses. It will also consider ways the state can address unmet mental health needs, the impact of implementing full mental health parity in Alaska, and the effects of the expiration of some federal parity laws in 2001. It will issue a report to the Alaska Legislature by March 1, 1999.

Bunde serves as chairman of the House Health, Education and Social Services Committee. Wilken serves as chairman of the Senate Health, Education and Social Services Committee. They will both be available for interviews at the award ceremony.

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