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Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act requires group health insurance plans with more than 50 insured employees that offer coverage for mental illness and substance use disorders to provide these benefits as they would all other medical and surgical procedures covered by the plan. These benefits must be offered at levels no lower and with treatment limitations that are no more restrictive than other medical and surgical benefits offered by the employer's plan.

This act, which was signed into law on Oct. 3, 2008:

  • Improves access to much-needed mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment services through more equitable coverage; and

  • Eliminates the practice of unequal health treatment so that employees can receive critically important treatment services.

FAQs

Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act FAQ

Additional resources

Section 511 of the Public Law 110-343—Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration fact sheet
U.S. Department of Labor The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) fact sheet
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services—The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act

New Hampshire resources

Gov. Hassan releases review of New Hampshire's mental health services
Gov. Hassan's statement on signing the bipartisan mental health settlement bill