House passes mental health parity extension bill

WASHINGTON—The House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation to extend through the end of 2008 a federal law that bars group health care plans from providing lower annual and lifetime dollar limits on mental health care services than other medical services.

The House action comes as House sponsors of a broader mental health care benefits parity measure have been working to drum up enough support to bring up that measure for a vote on the House floor.

That broader bill, which several House committees approved last year, would mandate equitable coverage for any mental health care service listed in the psychiatric industry’s compendium of mental disorders.

The Senate has passed a narrower measure. While that bill also mandates equitable coverage, it leaves it to employers to decide which mental health care disorders they will cover in their plans.