ABSTRACT
Mental health issues impact 54 million Americans each year and cost the United States over $100 billion dollars annually in medical costs, lost productivity, and mental health treatments. Many insurance policies do not cover mental health care costs equitably, leaving many to needlessly suffer. Lack of insurance coverage equity between mental health and physical/surgical treatments is at issue. Lawmakers have consistently disallowed full mental health parity based on fears of soaring insurance premiums and dubious diagnostic criteria. This article presents a policy analysis of the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007 (S. 558), focusing on the impact of this new legislation on existing state parity laws.
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Capps, L., Gallegos, C., & Orfield, C. (2007). Kennedy, Domenici, & Enzi unveil long- awaited breakthrough on mental health parity. For immediate release February 12, 2007.