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Gov. Pataki yesterday signed into law a
measure requiring insurance companies to provide far more coverage
for mental illness.
The ceremonial bill-signing follows
years of tireless work by Tom and Donna O'Clair of Schenectady.
Their 12-year-old son, Timothy,
killed himself in 2001 after their insurance ran out and they had to
give up custody of him so he could get public-funded psychiatric
treatment.
"This is a gift," Tom O'Clair said
of Timothy's Law. "As Timothy was a gift to us, Timothy's Law is a
gift to New York."
The bill requires insurance
companies to cover 30 inpatient and 20 outpatient days of treatment
for mental illnesses.
Companies must give full coverage
for "biologically based" mental illnesses including major
depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive
disorder and anorexia.
Timothy's Law would also require
coverage for children with attention-deficit disorder, disruptive
behavior disorders or disorders that include suicidal symptoms.
The state would pay for the premium
increase for companies with 50 or fewer employees.
The measure is expected to increase
premiums about 3 percent and no more than 10 percent, while
providing a much wider array of mental-health services.
"I commend the efforts of Tom and
Donna O'Clair in helping to get this law enacted," Pataki said.
"Sharing their experiences . . . was
no doubt a difficult task, but through their tireless work and the
support of numerous groups and individuals, individuals with mental
illnesses will benefit." |
