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| Ohio Mental Health Parity Law |
Ohio’s “biologically based” mental health parity bill, passed in the 126th General Assembly, ends discrimination for a list of “biologically based mental illness” diagnoses. It also requires that insurers cover the diagnosis, care and treatment of these disorders in the same manner as other “basic health care services.” The bill defines “biologically based mental illnesses” as:
- schizophrenia
- schizoaffective disorder
- major depressive disorder
- bipolar disorder
- paranoia and other psychotic disorders
- obsessive-compulsive disorder, and
- panic disorder
The terms of these diagnoses are defined in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association. (The most recent version is the DSM-IV-TR, published in 2000).
According to the Legislative Service Commission’s Final Analysis, "The law specifies that its equal benefits mandate applies to all coverages and terms and conditions of a policy ...coverage including, but not limited to, coverage of impatient hospital services, outpatient services and medication; maximum lifetime benefits; co-payments; and individual and family deductibles."
Of course, loopholes and exceptions exist.* If you need help interpreting the new law, see below or contact Bobbie Celeste at (614) 224-0034 ext. 12.
To see the language of the bill and for Q and A from the Department of Insurance, visit http://ohioinsurance.gov/ConsumServ/MHParity.htm.
Click here to download a Mental Health Parity Law Fact Sheet