Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2005

The Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2005 seeks to ensure that group health insurance plans treat mental health care the same as physical medical care. Under this bill, insurance companies would be prohibited from imposing stricter financial requirements, such as higher co-pays, or more restrictive treatment limits, such as fewer doctor visits, on mental health services than they do for surgical or medical services. For everyday citizens, this means that if a health plan offers mental health coverage, the out-of-pocket costs and access to care must be equal to what is provided for physical ailments. The bill also includes a requirement for a federal study to evaluate the impact of these changes on insurance costs and the feasibility of extending similar protections to substance abuse treatment.