The document discusses the history and provisions of laws regarding health insurance coverage for mental health issues like ADHD. The Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 was passed to ensure equal coverage for mental health as for physical health issues. However, many insurance plans still provided limited coverage or higher costs for mental health treatment. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 helped address this by requiring equal coverage of mental health issues if other coverage is provided, but did not require coverage or apply to all plans. Upcoming reforms in 2014 will help further by requiring equal coverage of mental and physical health benefits be offered on state insurance exchanges.

1. ADHD Treatment and Health Insurance Coverage
In 1996, the Mental Health Parity Act was passed in order to protect the proper insurance
coverage for Americans with mental concerns. For many citizens who receive Social Security and
associated medical coverage through their work, receiving equal coverage for their mental
concerns was problematic. The public perception of mental health issues is not equal to the
perceptions of other bodily diseases. This varied opinion has been expressed through insurance
coverage that provides limited coverage for mental issues. The Mental Health Parity Act works to
redress that situation.
Many Americans suffer from mental issues that require medical attention, doctors visits, and
prescription medication ust like any other health concern. It is crucial that, if you receive medical
benefits through your company, that your complete health concerns are covered as well. The
Mental Health Parity Act worked to ensure that an equal annual or lifetime limit of expense is
extended to cover mental concerns as well as medical health issues. This also includes other
retained rights that may be associated with a general medical expense.
Though there are a few exemptions included in this Act, its purpose is to ensure that insurance
providers and companies that may control that insurance do not reduce the benefits to their
employees or former employees based on the nature of their illness. Mental concerns can be as
detrimental to the life and happiness of a patient as medical concerns. One important restriction
included in this act is an exemption for mental health-related concerns regarding substance abuse
or chemical dependency.
ADHD treatment can be extremely expensive. Parents of children with ADHD often forget to factor
in the cost of regular doctor's visits, prescription medication, and stubborn insurance companies.
Unfortunately, many insurance providers do not provide adequate mental health coverage. This
leaves parents or other family members to should the burden. Adderall, a drug used to treat
ADHD, can cost as much as $ 150 depending on your location. Fortunately, there are several new
reforms on the way that should ease the burden. If all else fails, make sure to document your
child's treatment so that you can appeal denied claims.
Many insurance companies charge higher deductibles and limit treatments for those with mental
disorders. Fortunately, if your insurance provider already covers ADHD, you will be able to receive
coverage equal to that provided for other medical procedures and conditions. This is due to the
Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. This law forces insurers to offer a more
reasonable amount of mental health coverage as long as they have some form of coverage
already in place. The new law has limitations, however. It does not require insurance companies to
offer coverage for mental disorders if they do not do so already. It also does not cover individual or
small-business insurance plans.

2. New reforms promise to fix that oversight, however. By 2014, insurance plans sold through state
exchanges will be required to offer medical coverage that is equal to other benefits in the same
plan. These plans will cover both individuals and small businesses. When the new laws finally go
into effect, legislators estimate that 32 million Americans will receive insurance coverage for the
first time. This is a huge step forward. On a personal level, it will also save parents money and
stress due to luxurious expensive ADHD treatments. Click this link to learn more about these Non
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If your health insurance provider refuses to cover a commonly used drug such as Adderall, be
sure to appeal the decision. You should keep a thorough record of your child's treatments and
prescriptions. Your child's doctor might also be able to write a letter outlining why a specific
treatment is necessary. Include any relevant research you can find, as this will strengthen your
case. Insurance companies try to avoid paying more than they have to, but if your case is
compelling, they might reverse their original decision. If nothing else, you can look forward to the
day when you will have complete mental health coverage.