Kathleen Sebelius, Health and Human Services Secretary, sent a letter to lawmakers earlier this month informing them that the Administration is planning to issue regulations for the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 by January 2010. The mental health and addiction parity law required that regulations be issued by October 2009, but the Health and Human Services and the Labor and Treasury Departments are still developing the regulations. The law goes into effect January 1, 2010 for most insurance plans, but lawmakers and mental health advocates are worried that the absence of regulations could lead to misinterpretations of the law.
Tags: delay, HHS, Kathleen Sebelius, mental health, mental health parity, parity, Paul Wellstone, Pete Domenici, rules
