Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-4) and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers today introduced legislation that would ensure employees have non-discriminatory access to mental healthcare services. 

    The mental health parity legislation introduced by Smith and his colleagues will prohibit health insurers from refusing to pay claims for medically necessary mental healthcare coverage.   

    “This bill recognizes mental healthcare for what it is – a vital component of overall healthcare.  It says that health plans which cover medical and surgical healthcare benefits cannot discriminate against mental healthcare,” said Smith, who in his role as Chairman of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs has worked hard to expand and enhance mental heath services for veterans.  

    While parity legislation became law in 1996, insurers found loopholes to avoid paying for mental healthcare. For instance, they placed limits on the number of sessions or inpatient days they would cover or instituted an economic cap on coverage.  

    “Our new parity legislation will correct this problem and make sure vital mental healthcare services are treated like other medical conditions.  It will help pull down the roadblocks insurers erected to fight the 1996 parity law and improve access to mental healthcare for all patients,” Smith said.  

    Smith, who once worked in his family’s sporting goods business, noted that the legislation contains an exemption for very small businesses that employ 50 people or less.  

    For his work fighting for parity in previous Congresses as well as his work on behalf of expanding mental healthcare services for veterans, Smith was named Legislator of the Year last year by the National Mental Health Association.