Mental Health Parity in the US: Have We Made Any Real Progress?

Are we living up to the ideals and standards proposed by the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA)? According to some recent reports and measures, the answer is no. Why hasn’t the legislation done enough to halt disparity? Angela Kimball, national director of advocacy and public policy for NAMI, says it is largely a problem of enforcement. “There is a lack of oversight and efforts to make sure that health plans are compliant with not only the letter of the law, but the spirit of law,” said Kimball. This is one reason why NAMI undersigned a letter to congress on March 13, 2020, concerning the lack of parity oversight. As there is no single way to enforce parity, it is easier for noncompliant insurers to avoid getting caught.