Mental illness does not discriminate and no longer can we anymore.
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, or MHPAEA, that Congress passed in 2008 is a great start but it needs to be expanded. This act requires private health insurance plans to provide equal coverage for mental and physical health services.
However this act does not apply to Medicare and State and local government employee plans may opt out of the federal parity law. Also MHPAEA does not require private health insurance plans to include mental health benefits.
Please urge congress to expand this act to make sure all medical health insurance plans offer mental health coverage and that the coverage that is offered is equal to physical health insurance.