In 2008, the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act became law, but it is still not fully enforced.
For decades, MAMH has been a leader in efforts to ensure that people with mental health and substance use conditions receive the same level of health insurance benefits – and access to services – as people with physical health conditions. This is known as “parity.”
MAMH led the successful effort in 2000 to enact the Commonwealth’s first comprehensive mental health parity in insurance coverage legislation, An Act Relative to Mental Health Benefits. MAMH was a principal partner and leader in securing business community support to achieve legislation in 2008 to broaden the law to mandate coverage for medically necessary treatment for substance use disorders, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress and autism.
Today MAMH continues to serve as a leading voice for legislative reform, working to pass bills in the Massachusetts Legislature designed to address gaps in parity implementation and protections. These bills include provisions to increase accuracy of mental health provider networks available through insurance carriers and expand private insurance coverage of children’s mental health services and psychiatric rehabilitation. We work in close partnership with Health Law Advocates, a critical leader in parity rights, and other organizations on this critical issue.