Looking at Some Restrictions of The Mental Health Parity Insurance Law

Looking at Some Restrictions of The Mental Health Parity Insurance Law in Politics and Legislation

On Friday, an article in the Washington Post looked a little bit deeper into the new mental health parity law that was passed as a part of the $700 billion dollar Wall Street bailout.

The article reported that there were indeed still some restrictions on the health insurance coverage for mental health conditions.

For example, health insurance plans that currently offer no mental health benefits are not required to add on the coverage.

Also, not every condition listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) will be covered. The DSM-IV is published by the American Psychiatric Association and is the guidebook that all psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, and social workers use to diagnose patients.

While there are still a few holes still left in mental health coverage, most agree the new law is mostly positive — and most importantly, that mental health problems are finally affirmed as medically diagnosable and treatable.

“Millions of Americans will now be assured greater access to mental and behavioral health coverage while continuing to benefit from the innovative programs health plans have developed to promote high-quality, evidence-based care,”  said the president of America’s Health Insurance Plans, Karen Ignagni.

One last interesting tidbit of information: According to the Congressional Budget Office, the new law will increase health plan premiums by an average of only four-tenths of one percent.

Not bad.

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