A new study finds that more individuals aren’t seeking substance abuse treatment, but the parity act has lowered costs for those who are covered.
Thanks to the Federal Mental Health Parity Act of 2008, employers who provide health insurance plans for mental and substance use disorders are now required to provide benefits that are equal to those given for general medical care. But three years later, is this act actually making a difference in the number of individuals seeking treatment? (more…)
You’d have to be living at the North Pole to not hear about the financial bailout package that went before the congress late last year. What you may not have heard about is the mental health “parity” bill that was tacked onto the bailout package before it passed. That landmark law requires employers to provide mental health insurance benefits comparable to their medical coverage. This will affect 113 million Americans, providing them with the parity in insurance benefits, making treatment for mental disorders and addiction affordable. 