On September 6, the Los Angeles Times published an article examining the impact of the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) on health insurance plans.  The article outlines the law’s requirements and projects the impact they will have on beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket (OOP) costs, suggesting that the MHPAEA will likely reduce the OOP costs of those who use MH/SUD services and increase OOP costs for those who do not use them.

From the article:

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, by some estimates, could affect the health coverage of approximately 113 million Americans. Exactly how it will affect them, though, will vary widely.

The purpose of the law, which went into effect in July, is to create equal coverage between medical/surgical services and mental healthcare services. The legislation requires group insurance plans to offer the same deductibles, copayments, frequency of treatments and days of outpatient services.

Full Article: Mental health parity act may affect your medical benefits 

Los Angeles Times. (2010).  Mental health parity act may affect your medical benefits. Worth, T.