Mental-health parity bill passes : Washington

Health insurers will have to treat mental illness the same as physical illness, under a bill the state Senate passed yesterday. The Senate passed the mental-health parity bill with a surprisingly strong vote of 40-9. It already had cleared the House, so now goes to Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire, who has said she will sign it into law. The bill requires insurers to offer the same level of coverage for mental health as they do for physical. For example, if the co-payment for a cholesterol drug is $10, the co-payment for anti-depressants would be $10. Supporters estimate the bill will affect about 900,000 statewide whose insurance plans don't cover mental illness or do so at a lower level than physical illness.
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES