New hope for people with Alcohol or Substance abuse issues. Last week the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury jointly issued new rules giving parity to people enrolled in group health plans who need treatment for mental health or substance abuse disorders.
"The rules we are issuing will for the first time, help assure that those diagnoses with these debilitating and sometimes life-threatening disorders will not suffer needless or arbitrary limits on their care," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
"Today’s rules will bring needed relief to families faced with meeting the cost of obtaining mental health and substance abuse services," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The benefits will give these Americans access to greatly needed medical treatment, which will better allow them to participate fully in society. That’s not just sound policy, it’s the right thing to do."
Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin said that "workers covered by group health plans who need mental health and substance abuse care deserve fair treatment. These rules expand on existing protections to ensure that people don’t face unnecessary barriers to the treatment they need."
The new measures forbid group health insurance plans from blocking access to care by limiting benefits and having higher costs to the patient than those for general medical or surgical benefits. The rules implement the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA). The new rules are effective for plan years beginning on or after July 1, 2010. The MHPAEA applies to companies with 50 or more employees with a group health plan offering benefits for mental health or substance abuse disorders.
