Amanda K. Sarata
Specialist in Health Policy
Two important components of access to mental health and substance use disorder services are their coverage and the terms under which they are covered. Federal mental health parity law addresses the terms under which mental health and substance use disorder services are covered in comparison with medical and surgical services in those plans that chose to offer coverage of these services. Federal law requires parity in annual and aggregate lifetime limits, treatment limitations, financial requirements, and in- and out-of-network covered benefits. However, federal parity law does not mandate the coverage of mental health and substance use disorder services.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA, P.L. 111-148), as amended, contains provisions that address both the coverage of mental health and substance use disorder services and the terms under which these services are covered. Specifically, PPACA includes provisions that require (1) the coverage of mental health and substance use disorder services by certain plans and (2) compliance with federal parity law by certain plans.
This report presents and addresses questions about the impact of these PPACA provisions. It begins with questions about those provisions relating specifically to mental health parity. The report then presents questions relevant to PPACA’s mandated coverage of mental health and substance use disorder services.
Date of Report: April 12, 2011
Number of Pages: 12
Order Number: R41768
Price: $29.95
Follow us on TWITTER at http://www.twitter.com/alertsPHP or #CRSreports
Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.
Specialist in Health Policy
Two important components of access to mental health and substance use disorder services are their coverage and the terms under which they are covered. Federal mental health parity law addresses the terms under which mental health and substance use disorder services are covered in comparison with medical and surgical services in those plans that chose to offer coverage of these services. Federal law requires parity in annual and aggregate lifetime limits, treatment limitations, financial requirements, and in- and out-of-network covered benefits. However, federal parity law does not mandate the coverage of mental health and substance use disorder services.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA, P.L. 111-148), as amended, contains provisions that address both the coverage of mental health and substance use disorder services and the terms under which these services are covered. Specifically, PPACA includes provisions that require (1) the coverage of mental health and substance use disorder services by certain plans and (2) compliance with federal parity law by certain plans.
This report presents and addresses questions about the impact of these PPACA provisions. It begins with questions about those provisions relating specifically to mental health parity. The report then presents questions relevant to PPACA’s mandated coverage of mental health and substance use disorder services.
Date of Report: April 12, 2011
Number of Pages: 12
Order Number: R41768
Price: $29.95
Follow us on TWITTER at http://www.twitter.com/alertsPHP or #CRSreports
Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.
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