September 30, 2008 House of Representatives and Senate Pass Mental Health Parity Bills Last week, both the House and Senate passed bills with bipartisan support requiring group insurance plans nationally to cover mental health, alcohol and substance abuse services on an equal basis with medical care. The law, known as the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, restricts insurers from charging higher co-payments or imposing higher deductibles for mental health and addiction services. Insurers also cannot set limits on the number of treatment visits for mental health or substance abuse services that are more restrictive than what they offer for physical care. The legislation exempts employers with fewer than 50 employees from the requirements. Legislation addressing the subject has been debated in Congress since 1996. The two legislative bodies must now reconcile the separate bills each passed before sending to President Bush for his approval. To view text of the legislation passed in the House of Representatives, please visit http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-6983 |
