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MHA calls for public education on mental health parity law

ALEXANDRIA, Va.- Mental Health America (MHA) is calling for intensive education efforts to inform the public about the benefits of the new federal mental health parity law (the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act ), which becomes fully effective Jan. 1.

The law, which Congress passed in October of 2008, broadly outlaws health insurance discrimination against Americans with mental health and substance use conditions in employer-sponsored health plans.

It bans employers and insurers from imposing stricter limits on coverage for mental health and substance use conditions than those set for other medical conditions. The law benefits 82 million Americans covered by self-insured plans and another 31 million in plans that are subject to state regulation.

MHA said public education efforts will ensure Americans are aware of their rights. A recent review of the experience with California's mental health parity law concluded that public education campaigns are needed to inform individuals about the law and that those efforts could also help reduce the stigma around mental health conditions. It also recommended a system be established to monitor not only cost and coverage issues, but also access to and quality of care.
MHA President David Shern said employers should embrace parity and recognize the value of providing mental health and substance use care. The findings of at least one recent survey suggest that few employers will drop mental health coverage because of the new law.

Many studies have found that equalizing specialty behavioral health and general medical benefits will not increase total health care expenses at all or will increase them by only a very modest amount. In a landmark report, the National Business Group on Health said the indirect costs associated with mental health and substance use conditions-excess turnover, lost productivity, absenteeism and disability-commonly meet or exceed the direct treatment costs, and have been estimated to be at lest $105 billion annually.