AN ACT REQUIRING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PARITY.

SB 824 requires health insurance plans to provide equal coverage for behavioral health services (like mental health and substance abuse treatment) as they do for medical, surgical, or physical health conditions. It directly affects insurance companies and policyholders by mandating that out-of-pocket costs, treatment limits, and coverage requirements for behavioral health must match those for physical health care. The bill amends existing state statutes to enforce this parity, ensuring people seeking behavioral health care face the same coverage terms as those seeking treatment for physical conditions. This is a concrete policy change aimed at reducing disparities in health insurance coverage.