There is good news and bad news: First, the good news: The Mental Health Parity Bill, now in effect makes mental health benefits and medical/surgical benefits equal within group policies: If a group health plan includes medical/surgical benefits and mental health benefits, mental health benefits and limits must be no more restrictive than the benefits and limits for medical/surgical benefits.

So that is a very good thing. However, the bad news is that for many policies, insurance companies are now requiring that policy holders pay co-payments for their mental health services. This was not a requirement for mental health benefits in Wisconsin prior to this year for most cases.

Not all insurance companies have clarified to us what they are doing about co-payment requirements but we are finding that most are doing the following: IF YOU NEED TO PAY CO-PAYMENTS TO YOUR PRIMARY DOCTOR FOR OFFICE VISITS, YOU WILL NOW NEED TO PAY CO-PAYMENTS FOR PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES BEGINNING WITH YOUR 2010 INSURANCE POLICY. IF YOU HAVE TO PAY EVEN MORE CO-PAY TO SEE A SPECIALIST, YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY AT THE SPECIALIST RATE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.