070— Mental Health Parity: What It Is and Why It Matters

While stigma around mental health, as well as treatment options have been drastically improved within the last decade, people who need help still are not getting it. The ultimate issue is the lack of mental health parity, which is defined by the equal treatment and benefits of other health conditions in insurance plans. Benefits such as inpatient in-network & out-of-network, co-pays, deductibles, max limit for out of pocket costs, reimbursement rates, geographic care, and coverage for any type of hospitalization. The lack of these advantages force people into difficult situations in order to receive these services. Paying abundant amounts of money out of pocket, traveling far distances, or just simply not getting help. Changes to current legislation would immensely ease the tension placed on people who are seeking these services, by requiring insurance companies to implement mental health parity.