What is mental health parity?

A: Parity means your insurer can't treat mental health worse than physical health: no higher copays, no separate deductibles, no tighter session limits, no harsher pre-authorization rules than comparable medical care. Federal law (MHPAEA, 2008) set the floor; California's SB 855 (2020) went further, requiring coverage of all mental health and substance use conditions when medically necessary, using nonprofit clinical criteria.¹

Worked example: a plan approves unlimited physical therapy for a knee but caps psychotherapy at 20 sessions "per policy." That's a parity violation, and it's appealable.

Do this: if a denial smells like unequal treatment, request the plan's clinical criteria in writing — SB 855 requires them to use recognized standards — then call the DMHC Help Center at 1-888-466-2219.

Source: 1. H&S §1374.72 (SB 855) — leginfo.legislature.ca.gov; federal MHPAEA (2008).