Congress passes eating disorders legislation

On Dec. 7, Congress passed legislation designed to help people with eating disorders for the first time in its history. The measure is making its way to President Barrack Obama’s desk within the week, with the expectation he will sign it into law, given his recent statement of support for the legislation.

The House Amendment to the Senate Amendment of H.R. 34 includes the 21st Century Cures and Mental Health Reform Act of 2016, along with other health funding authorizations. The amendment passed the House of Representatives with a 392-26 vote Nov. 30 and passed the Senate Dec. 7 by 94-5.

“Many years of hard work are represented with the passage of the Anna Westin Act,” said U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-WV. “This legislation will have a profound impact on the millions of Americans experiencing eating disorders and will help ensure they will not be denied access to the same mental health services as those facing other types of illnesses.

"I am proud of the role I was able to play in passing this bill, and thank the family of Anna Westin, who the bill is named for, for all they have done in support of this groundbreaking legislation.”

The legislation included key provisions from Capito’s bipartisan, bicameral Anna Westin Act of 2015 (S. 1865), including clarification of existing mental health parity law to improve health insurance coverage for eating disorders including life-saving residential treatment, early identification of eating disorders trainings for health professional such as doctors, and enhanced information and resources to help early identification of eating disorders by the public.

Capito introduced the Anna Westin Act of 2015 in July 2015 along with her colleagues Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-WI and Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH.

The Anna Westin Act was named in honor of Chaska, Minnesota-native Anna Westin who struggled with anorexia for five years and lost her life due to the illness at the young age of 21.

“This is legislation that patients and providers have been working toward for so long,” said Jessica Luzier, PhD., of the West Virginia University Disordered Eating Center of Charleston. “We are so excited about the passage of the Anna Westin Act, which will provide vital insurance coverage for individuals with eating disorders to get the care they need to recover, along with important education and prevention opportunities. In a state where access to mental health treatment has long been a challenge, this legislation will help tremendously.”

The Eating Disorders Coalition is a Washington, D.C.-based, federal advocacy organization comprised of treatment providers, advocacy organizations and entities, parents of children with eating disorders, and people experiencing eating disorders nationwide.