New law requires insurers to provide mental health coverage

[pnwmom]

on the same basis as physical health. (Yes, I realize that we still don't have health care reform, but this is still a good law and will benefit millions who do have insurance.)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2922160720100129

WASHINGTON, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Employer-provided group health plans must offer the same level of coverage for mental illness and drug abuse treatment as for other ailments, according to federal regulations issued on Friday.

The measures, known as mental health parity, ban group health plans from applying different coverage standards for mental health disorders or substance abuse treatment than those for general medical treatment or surgery.

"The rules we are issuing today will, for the first time, help assure that those diagnosed with these debilitating and sometimes life-threatening disorders will not suffer needless or arbitrary limits on their care," U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement.

Some 150 million Americans are enrolled in employer-provided group health insurance plans, the government says. The new rules, which stem from a bill passed by Congress in 2008, exempt group plans covering 50 or fewer workers.

Under the parity system, group plans that offer mental health and substance abuse treatment cannot charge higher deductibles or place different limits on frequency of treatment than they would for medical and surgical care.

SNIP

[soleft]

1. My shrink this is good, but she's worried

She's worried the insurance companies are going to start asking all kinds of questions and required information with the view of denying coverage if they can.