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"1996 was a very important year for psychiatry. Certainly, our most significant legislative achievement was the passage of the Domenici-Wellstone parity amendment," said Sabshin. "For the first time in history, Congress has decreed that lifetime and annual caps in health insurance must observe a parity between treatments for mental illness and other disorders."
Sabshin credited Jay Cutler, director of APA's Division of Government Relations, and his staff with coordinating APA advocacy efforts on the parity amendment through the Coalition for Fairness in Mental Health Coverage. The coalition represents health care providers, patients and their families, and health delivery systems.
"We are not relaxing our insistence on parity in every aspect of health benefits, and there will be greater gains in the years ahead," emphasized Sabshin. The parity amendment has increased public consciousness about mental illness, he noted.
The Division of Government Relations was also instrumental in successfully lobbying for the Congressional action last year ending the Department of Defense psychologist prescribing program.
Another "nail was pounded into that coffin" when the Government Accounting Office recently released a report stating that the program wastes tax dollars, said Sabshin.
The prescribing issue notwithstanding, APA has joined with the American Psychological Association on professional and patient issues, including the publication of a jointly sponsored electronic journal. The Office of Research staff is working with Donald Klein, M.D., coeditor of the journal, to launch the online journal, said Sabshin.
APA has also taken strides to improve services to members. The fully operational Answer Center has a team of professionals ready to evaluate and respond to members' needs quickly. Another new service, the brainchild of President Herbert Sacks, M.D., is the APAfastFax, which permits the rapid dissemination of APA documents via fax, noted Sabshin.
APA's World Wide Web site is expanding, and by the end of 1996, 16 district branches had been authorized to receive full or partial funding for technological upgrades to enhance their electronic communications.
APA's relationship with the American Medical Association has grown considerably, he noted. "Drs. Joseph English and Wayne Blackmon have moved aggressively to solidify our new and more assertive presence and voice in the House of Delegates," said Sabshin.
English was recently appointed a member of the Federation Advisory Committee of the AMA Accreditation Program (AMAP). "This is a very important appointment for us because it ensures a powerful voice for psychiatry in the committee charged with identifying issues and concerns about AMAP among medical specialty societies," said Sabshin.
A recent vote by psychiatrists who are AMA members resulted in APA's obtaining an additional delegate and vote in the House of Delegates, noted Sabshin.
Former APA president Jerry Wiener, M.D., was appointed to be the additional delegate, and Jay Scully, M.D., former deputy medical director and director of APA's Office of Education, will be the additional alternate delegate, noted Sabshin.
Sabshin commented that his successor, Steven Mirin, M.D., is a "resourceful and proven leader." Mirin has been visiting staff in Washington, D.C., to familiarize himself with APA operations and will join the staff on July 1.
"Finally, it is not possible within the confines of this overview to convey to you--members of the Association and Assembly, officers, trustees, and staff--the depth of my appreciation for your splendid support and collaboration during my tenure as medical director. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
(Psychiatric News, June 20, 1997)