Below is the relevant legislation related to parity that has been introduced during the current or recently adjourned legislative session. State parity legislation passed in any state since 2008 is usually designed to increase compliance with the federal law and to strengthen state laws.

Are we missing any passed or introduced legislation? Let us know at info@paritytrack.org.

Introduced Legislation

2020

Primary Focus Compliance; Enforcement and Oversight; Access
Title/Description Mental Health omnibus bill
Citation SB 1523
Introduced 2/3/2020
Sponsor Sen. Brophy McGee
Status Enacted
Summary

This law requires insurance companies to comply with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. It requires insurers to submit detailed analyses on their compliance with the Federal Parity Act, including for each non-quantitative treatment limitation in each classification of care consistent with the six-step process. Reports on criteria must be submitted every three years, and regulators will then evaluate reports for compliance and enforce/respond accordingly. The law also outlines new requirements for member identification cards, including listing information that facilitates access to services or coverage. It also creates the Children’s Behavioral Services Fund and provides $8 million for behavioral health services for uninsured and/or underinsured children. The bill also prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage for services covered by a plan simply because they are delivered in an educational setting. Other provisions include a Mental Health Parity Advisory Committee and a Suicide Mortality Review Team.

2018

SB 1115
Introduced 1/2018
Sponsor Sen. Bradley
Status Dead
Summary

This bill amends state insurance law so that any insurer that offers prescription drug benefits must include coverage for at least 2 generic and 2 brand name abuse-deterrent opioid analgesic drug products of different analgesic ingredients on the lowest tier of the formulary. Additionally, the bill prohibits insurers from requiring patients to try an opioid analgesic drug product without abuse-deterrent labeling before covering the other drugs.

2015

SB 1322
Introduced 4/2015
Sponsor Sens. Miranda, Pierce, and Ward
Status Dead 4/2015
Summary
This bill tried to change the sections of the insurance law about autism coverage so that they would now apply to individual plans and small employer fully-insured plans. It also would have eliminated the annual maximums in place for behavioral therapy (applied behavior analysis).

2012

HB 2302
Introduced 1/2012
Sponsor Rep. Patterson
Status Dead
Summary
This bill tried to amend the parity section of the Insurance law so that insurance plans would have to apply treatment limitations and financial requirements for behavioral health coverage similarly to how they are applied for other medical coverage. It also tried to add substance use disorder treatment coverage to the law and to define mental illness as anything in “mental disorders section of the International Classification of Disease.” The bill also defined financial requirements as:

This bill is identical to HB 2128, introduced in 2011.

2011

HB 2128
Introduced 1/2011
Sponsor Rep. Patterson
Status Dead
Summary
This bill tried to amend the parity section of the Insurance law so that insurance plans would have to apply treatment limitations and financial requirements for behavioral health coverage similarly to how they are applied for other medical coverage. It also tried to add substance use disorder treatment coverage to the law and to define mental illness as anything in “mental disorders section of the International Classification of Disease.” The bill also defined financial requirements as:

This bill is identical to HB 2302, introduced in 2012.

2010

HB 2320
Introduced 1/2010
Sponsor Rep. Patterson
Status Dead
Summary
This bill tried to amend the parity section of the Insurance law so that insurance plans would have to apply treatment limitations and financial requirements for behavioral health coverage similarly to how they are applied for other medical coverage. It also tried to add substance use disorder treatment coverage to the law and to define mental illness as anything in “mental disorders section of the International Classification of Disease.” The bill also defined financial requirements as:

This bill is identical to HB 2302 and HB 2128, introduced in 2012 and 2011 respectively.

HB 2599 / SB1234
Introduced 2/2009
Sponsor Rep. Patterson and Sen. Garcia
Statys Dead
Summary
This bill tried to add sections to the Insurance law that would have increased parity protections. Insurance plans would have to apply treatment limitations and financial requirements for behavioral health coverage similarly to how they are applied for other medical coverage. It also tried to add substance use disorder treatment coverage to the law and to define mental illness as anything in “mental disorders section of the International Classification of Disease.” The bill also defined financial requirements as:

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Common Violations

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Common Violations