The Affordable Care Act has literally turned benefits upside down. While we spend lots of time discussing the challenges the ACA affords employers, it has forced insurance carriers to provide more coverage with respect to Mental healthcare. The Mental Health Parity Act – part of the 2010 benefit changes to all health insurance plans continues to evolve. All insurance carriers both group and individual must provide coverage for mental health and substance abuse. Gone are the annual limitations, or separate deductibles and out-of-pocket limits for these conditions.
Mental health and substance abuse services are now treated as any other illness, and subject to annual deductibles and included in the annual out-of-pocket limit.
