Patrick Kennedy

It wasn't because mental health was a big issue politically that we passed this parity law that I had the honor of co-sponsoring with my Republican colleague, Jim Ramstad. It was through the back door, if you will, of this other legislation that we needed to pass that I tacked on the parity bill, thereby getting it to pass.

It wasn't because mental health was a big issue politically that we passed this parity law that I had the honor of co-sponsoring with my Republican colleague, Jim Ramstad. It was through the back door, if you will, of this other legislation that we needed to pass that I tacked on the parity bill, thereby getting it to pass.

Any of that sheds any light to what it's been like to try to advocate for these issues.

Any of that sheds any light to what it's been like to try to advocate for these issues.

Any of that sheds any light to what it's been like to try to advocate for these issues.

I think that we need to organize ourselves politically to get the policy changes we need. When you think about the graying of America, you think about Alzheimer's, and frankly, you think about other communities that suffer from great disabilities. You think about all of the caregivers, predominantly women, and how this impacts the whole family.

I think that we need to organize ourselves politically to get the policy changes we need. When you think about the graying of America, you think about Alzheimer's, and frankly, you think about other communities that suffer from great disabilities. You think about all of the caregivers, predominantly women, and how this impacts the whole family.

I think that we need to organize ourselves politically to get the policy changes we need. When you think about the graying of America, you think about Alzheimer's, and frankly, you think about other communities that suffer from great disabilities. You think about all of the caregivers, predominantly women, and how this impacts the whole family.

What's missing in all of those issues is the family and the holistic approach. Because as I said, We look at these diagnoses in a vacuum. We think about just the medical side. Frankly, parity, Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act has become a major tool for the IDD community, particularly autism, because families with children with autism need all the wraparound services.

What's missing in all of those issues is the family and the holistic approach. Because as I said, We look at these diagnoses in a vacuum. We think about just the medical side. Frankly, parity, Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act has become a major tool for the IDD community, particularly autism, because families with children with autism need all the wraparound services.

What's missing in all of those issues is the family and the holistic approach. Because as I said, We look at these diagnoses in a vacuum. We think about just the medical side. Frankly, parity, Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act has become a major tool for the IDD community, particularly autism, because families with children with autism need all the wraparound services.

And those wraparound services are essential in the treatment, if you will, the delivery of health care to that population. So it's really been parity that has become a really great tool for families to get what they need because the parity law highlights the disparities in access to care, the disparities in reimbursement by insurance companies.

And those wraparound services are essential in the treatment, if you will, the delivery of health care to that population. So it's really been parity that has become a really great tool for families to get what they need because the parity law highlights the disparities in access to care, the disparities in reimbursement by insurance companies.

And those wraparound services are essential in the treatment, if you will, the delivery of health care to that population. So it's really been parity that has become a really great tool for families to get what they need because the parity law highlights the disparities in access to care, the disparities in reimbursement by insurance companies.

But my point is that we all share, as I said, this need for home and community-based care. And we as a country are just going into this new space where we're sick and tired of the healthcare system as it currently stands, which is only focused on sick care, right? We have no appreciation or how we could deliver healthcare health to more Americans at a fraction of the current cost.

But my point is that we all share, as I said, this need for home and community-based care. And we as a country are just going into this new space where we're sick and tired of the healthcare system as it currently stands, which is only focused on sick care, right? We have no appreciation or how we could deliver healthcare health to more Americans at a fraction of the current cost.

But my point is that we all share, as I said, this need for home and community-based care. And we as a country are just going into this new space where we're sick and tired of the healthcare system as it currently stands, which is only focused on sick care, right? We have no appreciation or how we could deliver healthcare health to more Americans at a fraction of the current cost.

We are four times higher than the next industrialized nation in terms of the cost of health care. And yet our people are going without health care. And it's too financially prohibitive. And it's the leading cause of bankruptcy. So you have to say to yourself, when are we going to fix this?

We are four times higher than the next industrialized nation in terms of the cost of health care. And yet our people are going without health care. And it's too financially prohibitive. And it's the leading cause of bankruptcy. So you have to say to yourself, when are we going to fix this?

We are four times higher than the next industrialized nation in terms of the cost of health care. And yet our people are going without health care. And it's too financially prohibitive. And it's the leading cause of bankruptcy. So you have to say to yourself, when are we going to fix this?