Parity Is No ‘Magic Bullet’

We've had "parity" in behavioral health benefits under commercial plans for eight years – since the 2008 passage of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). Since then, the law has been expanded to include parity under health insurance marketplace plans and Medicaid managed care plans. Coupled with expanded health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, many more Americans have access to treatment for mental illnesses and addictive disorders (see Medicaid Expansion States Have Higher Consumer Access To Care and Only 9% Of Americans Were Uninsured During First Half Of 2015 – All . . .