HHSC: The Mental Health Condition and Substance Use Disorder Parity Workgroup

The Mental Health Condition and Substance Use Disorder Parity Workgroup was established by HB10. During the 2017 Texas Regular Legislative Session, lawmakers passed an important bill related to mental health parity (House Bill 10). The new law, signed by Governor Abbott, aims to address ongoing challenges with mental health and substance use disorder “parity” protections. The goal is for more insured Texans have equal access to both physical health care and care for mental health and substance use disorder needs. The new law took effect September 1, 2017, though full implementation will take more time. In health care, “parity” describes the equal treatment of mental health conditions and substance use disorders by insurance plans, when compared to coverage for physical health care. When a plan has “parity” it means that health insurance coverage of mental health is equal to coverage for physical health. For example, if an insurer provides unlimited doctor visits for a co