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The mission of the Washington Coalition for Insurance Parity is to end health insurance discrimination against people living with a mental illness.
In 2005, the coalition convinced the Washington State Legislature to enact a comprehensive mental health parity law for large businesses (more than 50 employees), state employees, and enrollees in the state’s Basic Health program. During the 2007 legislative session, the coalition successfully advocated for the expansion of the 2005 parity law to employees of small businesses and the individual insurance market.
Washington State ’s mental health parity law now protects two million out of six million residents from insurance discrimination. The remaining four million residents must be protected by a federal mental health parity law. For more information on the federal parity legislation of 2007, please click here.
The coalition consists of 142 organizations representing a broad cross-section of the community, including advocacy groups; non-profit organizations; hospitals, physicians, nurses, and other health care providers; labor unions; a business association representing 900 businesses; and religious organizations.
The coalition is governed by a board of 12 directors. They manage and coordinate the legislative, advocacy, and educational agenda for the coalition.
We hope you find this site educational, and we welcome your comments.
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