Drug bill is wrong for Virginia

Legislators, advocates, consumers, and physicians have criticized a proposal of the Kaine Administration to restrict access to mental health drugs. The proposal, which came in the form of an amendment to the state budget, will subject mental health drugs in Virginia’s Medicaid program to “prior authorization” and other restrictions.

The restrictions are designed to reduce use of the drugs in the hopes of saving the state money.

This amendment is ‘penny wise and pound foolish’ toward meeting the mental health needs of our less fortunate Virginians, and I am urging my Democratic and Republican colleagues to reject it.

As chairman of the Educa-tion & Health Committee and the Health & Human Services Subcommittee of the Finance Committee, this issue is especially important to me.

These mental health drugs make a huge difference for the mentally ill throughout the commonwealth.  Medicaid consumers need them to lead healthy and productive lives, while avoiding more expensive institutional placements.

On April 11, Gov. Kaine proposed 41 amendments to the General Assembly’s budget, and most are expected to win easy approval when the legislature convenes on April 23 for its “veto session.”

But the governor’s proposal to restrict access to mental health drugs in the state’s Medicaid program has ignited bipartisan opposition in the General Assembly.

Del. Phillip Hamilton, R-Newport News, a long-time champion of improving Virginia’s underfunded mental health system who chairs the Health, Welfare & Institutions Committee and the Health & Human Services Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, stated: “After historic investments in mental health services during the 2008 legislative session, it is inconceivable to me that this amendment would even be proposed. It is like taking a step backwards in providing a needed treatment option for vulnerable Virginians with some form of mental illness.

Mira Signer, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Virginia chapter, stated: “We know that health care and public safety costs increase when mental health drugs are restricted. It is poor public policy to try and save a little bit of money on medications and then spend five times those savings on new jail cells and hospital beds.”

Many legislators and lobbyists are predicting that the amendment will be defeated because it runs against broad support amongst legislators and voters for improving Virginia’s much criticized mental health system.

Sen. Edd Houck, D-Spotsylvania, represents the 17th District, of which Culpeper is a part. E-mail