Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) is a U.S. law that requires health insurance plans to treat mental health and substance use disorder benefits equally to physical health benefits. This means that if a plan covers medical treatments, it must also provide similar coverage for mental health and addiction treatments, such as therapy and counseling. The goal of this law is to reduce discrimination against mental health issues and ensure that people receive comprehensive care without facing higher costs or more restrictive policies for mental health services compared to other medical services.