Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA)

Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA, 2008)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 1185a; 42 U.S.C. § 300gg-26)

2) Why It Was Done
The MHPAEA was enacted to require health insurance plans that offer mental health or substance use disorder benefits to provide them at parity with medical and surgical benefits—meaning no stricter limits or higher costs.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 prohibited annual and lifetime dollar limits on mental health benefits but had major loopholes. MHPAEA strengthened and expanded these protections, especially for addiction services.

Acts

Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA)

Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA, 2016)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (Public Law 114–198)

2) Why It Was Done
CARA was enacted to combat the opioid epidemic by authorizing a comprehensive response including prevention, treatment, recovery, law enforcement, and criminal justice reform.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The Controlled Substances Act (1970) and later drug laws focused on enforcement. CARA shifted federal policy toward integrating treatment and recovery support into the response.