Along with the financial bailout, Congress passed today an important piece of legislation about mental health parity.

This bill will address the problem of private health insurers generally providing less coverage for mental illnesses and substance abuse than for other medical conditions.

It provides:
-Equity in financial requirements, such as deductibles, co-payments, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket expenses.
-Equity in treatment limits, such as caps on the frequency or number of visits, limits on days of coverage, or other similar limits on the scope and duration of treatment.
-Equality in out-of-network coverage.

I definitely think this is a great civil rights victory for those of us that are sick and tired of being discriminated against by insurance companies.

I just wanted to let everyone know about it because I personally believe there will be a day when everyone with a mental illness at any stage of life has access to effective treatment and supports.

What do you think about this bill?

Have you had problems with insurance coverage for medication?