DIFFERENT TAKES ON MENTAL HEALTH PARITY

How the House and Senate mental health care parity bills differ*

Where they Agree:

• Group health care plans can't impose higher cost-sharing requirements for mental health care expenses than for other medical conditions.

• No discriminatory treatment limitations for mental health care services.

• Exempts employers with fewer than 50 employees from parity requirements.

• Exempts employers from parity requirements if upgrading mental health benefits boosts costs by at least 2% the first year after the legislation goes into effect and 1% in succeeding years.

Where they differ:

• House bill does not pre-empt stronger state parity laws; Senate bill pre-empts such laws.

• House bill requires coverage, if medically necessary, of mental disorders that are covered by the health plan with the greatest enrollment offered to federal employees.

*As passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee and House Education and Labor Committee