A milestone legislation has been signed this past October. October 2008 the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 made medical history. It states that all group health insurance plans (50 or more participants) must treat mental illness and substance abuse like any other physical illness.

What this means for people is that if someone needs treatment for mental illness or substance abuse they will be expected to pay the same as if they where to be treated for heart disease. So they can expect to pay the same co pays and see equivalent benefits.

This new law will go into effect January 1, 2010. So we have to wait a year to see the changes in coverage. Pete Domenici a retired Republican from New Mexico had personal interest in this law after seeing his brother and a daughter suffer from mental illness.

Pete Domenici feels like mental illness as well as substance abuse has been ignored by the health care industry. He does not believed they are honestly viewed as sick like with other illnesses. The ignore how important good healthcare is for sufferes. The late Paul Wellstone and Domenici help make this law happen.

This new law will not benefit all health insurance policy holders. It is set to impact 113 million, but these will only be those ina large group of 50 or more participants. People who carry small group or individual health insurance will not see the change.

It is possible that we could see carriers make some needed changes in mental illness and substance abuse benefits for all policy holders. They will be prompted by consumers to follow suit. I would not expect any immediate changes however.

Since health insurance is consumer driven I would expect to see some sort of changes in the future. As stated before then you will see a domino effect happen in the insurance industry. Having added benefits for a mental illness or substance abuse makes a good bargaining tool for carriers.

This law is for the record books. It has been a long issue that many have been lobbying for. It is just one small positive change in this ever changing industry of health insurance. Without a doubt we shall see many changes in years to come.