An Act requiring mental health parity for disability policies

This bill requires disability insurance policies issued or renewed in Massachusetts to provide equal coverage for disabilities caused by mental health conditions compared to those caused by physical conditions. It defines mental health conditions broadly to include mental illnesses and substance use disorders recognized in standard medical classifications and prohibits insurers from excluding coverage or limiting benefits specifically for these conditions. The law mandates that any restrictions applied to mental health disabilities must be applied equally to all disabilities, while still allowing for standard medical exams to verify the existence of a disability.