The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 was a momentous change in coverage for mental health issues. The act essentially mandated mental health and substance-use coverage to be comparable to physical health coverage by stating that insurance policies that offer mental health coverage must treat it the same as they do other medical coverage. The law intended to make mental health and substance-use care more accessible to the general population.
Federal Parity Law applies to employer-sponsored health coverage for companies larger than 50 employees, all coverage purchased through health insurance exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the majority of Medicaid programs.
The law states that if mental health benefits are offered under the provider’s coverage, they cannot have more restrictive requirements than those that apply to physical health benefits. So, the parity law does not require insurers to provide mental health benefits, but the majority of insurance providers offer plans including mental health benefits.
If you’re curious as to whether your health insurance plan offers mental health coverage, contact your insurance provider directly to discuss what coverage may be available.
However, Federal law does not require health insurance providers to provide mental health benefits, it merely states that if coverage is offered, it must be comparable to physical health insurance benefits. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.