Congress Eliminates Discrimination in Healthcare Coverage of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Disorders

Today, Congressman Lewis helped pass a bill that will end discrimination by insurance companies against people with mental health and substance abuse disorders.  Congress passed the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.  Sending this bill to the President to be signed into law is one of the great achievements of the 110th Congress.  This bill makes sure that people with mental health and substance abuse disorders get the same health insurance coverage as people who seek treatment for medical and surgical disorders.  The bill does not mandate group health plans provide any mental health coverage. However, if a plan does offer mental health coverage, then group health plans can not charge higher co-payments, coinsurance, deductibles, and impose maximum out-of-pocket limits and lower day and visit limits on mental health and addiction care than for medical and surgical benefits.