Mental Health Coverage Re-examined

President Obama has directed the federal Department of Health and Human Services to publish regulations to implement the 2008 federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, according to the Los Angeles Times.  Under that law, health insurers must treat mental illness and substance abuse the same as medical illness.  But the law only applies to health plans offered by large employers (i.e., those with more than 50 employees).  The 2010 federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act extends mental health and substance abuse parity provisions in 2014 to plans offered by small employers and to insurance that people buy on their own (i.e., individual insurance).  The Connecticut Mirror reports that advocates are optimistic that the anticipated regulations will provide more clarity on what insurance must cover.