U.S. Lawmakers Set To Combat Mental Health Regulation

In the United States, roughly one in five individuals suffer from some sort of mental illness. On October 27th, President Obama officially designated a Congressional task force designed to oversee the role of mental health legislation in the United States. The goal of this was to better enforce laws that require equal insurance coverage for both mental and physical illnesses. The Obama administration has found that, although there have been previous pieces of legislation regarding mental health, they have not been well-regulated. This task force calls for more frequent audits of healthcare practices as well as stricter penalties against insurers. Insurers are said to have violated the law if they charge higher co-payments for mental health care than for other physical care practices.

This legislation comes at an opportune time within American society, in which many officials are working to reverse the stigma surrounding mental health. Interestingly, this task force took several months to develop within Congress, and comes within the waning months of President Obama's career. Nevertheless, this is a step in the right direction for the healthcare industry in the United States. By thoroughly expanding these practices to mental health patients, the U.S. can attempt to combat rising rates in depression, drug abuse and other factors associated with mental health treatment.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/08/us/mental-health-parity.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fus&action=click&contentCollection=us&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=7&pgtype=sectionfront