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H.R. 4848: To extend for one year parity in the application of certain limits to mental health benefits, and for other purposes.

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H.R. 4848: To extend for one year parity in the application of certain limits to mental health benefits, and for other purposes.

110th Congress · introduced 2007-12-19 · Health · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2007-12-19 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 35 (2008): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR4848 (2008-02-07), Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

To extend for one year parity in the application of certain limits to mental health benefits, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

Amends the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Public Health Service Act to extend until December 31, 2008, mental health parity provisions, which require group health plans to treat equally mental health benefits and medical and surgical benefits for purposes of lifetime limits or annual limits on benefits covered by the plan. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to take all necessary steps to participate in the Federal Payment Levy Program as soon as possible and ensure that: (1) at least 50% of all payments under parts A (Hospital Insurance) and B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) are processed through such program within one year after enactment of this Act; (2) at least 75% of all such payments are processed through such program within two years; and (3) all such payments are processed through such program by September 30, 2011. Requires the Financial Management Service and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to provide assistance to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to ensure that all payments are included in the Federal Payment Levy Program by the deadlines specified. Directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to offset Medicare payments by the amount of the payee's delinquent federal debt. Requires the Secretary of HHS to provide for specified expenditures from the Physician Assistance and Quality Initiative Fund for payment for physicians' services. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer specified funds from general revenues to Social Security trust funds to ensure that assets of such trust funds are not reduced as a result of enactment of this Act.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

To extend for one year parity in the application of certain limits to mental health benefits, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6] · 6 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6] reported raising $2.8 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (2)
Ballot initiative
A proposed law or constitutional amendment that citizens place on the ballot by gathering enough voter signatures, so voters decide it directly. About half the states allow some form of it.
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr4848 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110