Former Rhode Island Congressman and member of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, Patrick J. Kennedy, has been named to the Healthcare Committee of New Jersey Governor-elect Phil Murphy’s transition team.
Fresh off the President’s Opioid Commission, Kennedy is uniquely qualified to help New Jersey navigate the enforcement of both state and federal Parity laws, which require insurance companies to treat diseases of the brain, such as clinical depression and opioid addiction, the same way they treat illnesses of the body, such as cancer and heart disease. He was the lead sponsor of the groundbreaking Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.
“I am honored to be part of this team,” said Kennedy, founder of The Kennedy Forum and ParityRegistry.org, a website where consumers, family members, providers, case managers, and legal advocates can find guidance and register complaints against insurance companies after being wrongfully denied coverage for mental health or addiction treatment services. “I look forward to helping Governor-elect Murphy establish a strong road map for advancing healthcare in the great state of New Jersey—and ensuring healthcare equality for all residents.”
Watch this short video from The Kennedy Forum to learn more about Parity and its impact on American families.