|
Jun. 30, 2006
I have bipolar disorder. What are my insurance rights?
It depends.
The Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 was intended to make it easier for Americans with mental illness to have their treatment covered by insurance by putting mental health on equal footing — parity — with physical health. But there were so many things not covered under the legislation and people quickly realized there were plenty of loopholes that gave insurance companies reasons not to cover mental health anyway.
Many states have been passing their own mental health coverage laws, but some of those laws lack real teeth. Some state laws exempt small businesses, for instance. Many laws will allow exemptions if providing such coverage causes a company's health expenses to rise beyond a certain point. And most typically provide coverage only for what are known as "biologically based" mental disorders, which leaves a host of illnesses uncovered, including drug and alcohol abuse.
Further, many of them limit the number of treatments and inpatient hopsitalization days you can accumulate.
It's always wise to read your actual policy, not just your health plan summary. The policy will tell you what illnesses are covered.
Back to frequently asked health insurance questions
|
British Citizens:
Canadian Citizens:
