Congress Passes Mental Health Parity Legislation
A measure boosting insurance coverage for mental illness and treatment of drug and alcohol addiction secured final U.S. congressional passage on Friday as part of financial industry bailout legislation.
The bailout bill that the House of Representatives passed 263-171 was tacked onto this bipartisan measure requiring health insurers to give the same level of coverage for mental illness and substance abuse treatment as other ailments. President George W. Bush quickly signed the bill into law.
