S. 3335 the Jobs, Energy, Families & Disaster Relief Act of 2008: Section 313. Mental Health Parity

July 24, 2008 The bill provides funding for a variety of measures, including mental health parity. Specifically, the bill amends the Employment Retirement Income Security Act and the Public Health Service Act to require that an insurance plan offering coverage for behavioral health treatment must offer such treatment under the same copayments and benefit terms as medical or surgical treatment. Insurance plans are not required to offer behavioral health coverage. Plans offered by small employers (with fewer than 51 employees) are not required to offer parity coverage. If signed into law, the provisions would take effect on January 1, 2009 . . .