New rules for mental health Care

According to federal regulations issued on Friday, employer-provided group health plans must now offer the same coverage for drug abuse and mental illness as for other ailments. Known as mental health parity, these new measures will ban group health plans from offering different coverage standards for mental health disorders. Substance abuse treatment also and those for surgery or general medical treatment.
Today, employer-provided group health insurance plans cover some 150 million Americans. A bill passed by Congress in 2008, the new rules, exempt group plans covering 50 or fewer workers. Group plans that offer mental health and substance abuse treatment cannot charge higher deductibles under the parity system. They also cannot place different limits on frequency of treatment than they would for medical and surgical care.
After federal agencies review comments from the public, industry and other interested parties, the rules cold take effect as early as July 1st. A Washington-based advocacy group, The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, said the regulations begin the final chapter in an effort to ensure that Americans with mental illness have equal access to health care.