Update on parity

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued two documents, neither of which breaks new ground, on compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). Under the final rule issued in 2013 implementing the law, the same factors must be used in determining benefits for mental and substance use disorders as are used for medical and surgical care. The Department of Labor did not leave clear guidance for insurance companies in terms of enforcement. However, there are three priorities for enforcement for the agency.