Vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that expands coverage requirements for health health insurance plans issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2011 by defining "mental illness," whereas existing law requires plans to cover "severe mental illness" but does not provide a definition.

Highlights:

• Defines "mental illness" as any mental disorder which meets the definition provided in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV, but does not include the following (Secs. 2-3):
• Noncompliance with treatment; 
• Partner relational problems;
• Physical or sexual abuse of adults;
• Parent-child relational problems;
• Child neglect;Physical or sexual abuse of a child;
• Sibling relational problems;
• Relational problems related to a mental disorder or general medical condition;
• Occupational problem;
• Academic problems;
• Acculturation problems;
• Relational problems;
• Bereavement;
• Borderline intellectual functioning;
• Phase of life problems;
• Religious or spiritual problems;
• Malingering;
• Adult antisocial behavior;
• Child or adolescent antisocial behavior;
• Anything for which there is not a diagnosis or a condition on Axis I;
• Anything for which there is not a diagnosis on Axis II; and -Nicotine dependence.

• Exempts insurance plans with the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System, unless the Board elects to purchase a plan that provides mental health coverage (Sec. 2).

• Requires health insurers to provide the coverage required by thisAact in its entire service area and in emergency situations (Secs. 2-3).

• Authorizes health insurers to provide the coverage required by this Act through separate specialized health care service plans or mental health plans (Secs. 2-3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that expands coverage requirements for health health insurance plans issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2011 by defining "mental illness," whereas existing law requires plans to cover "severe mental illness" but does not provide a definition.

Highlights:

• Defines "mental illness" as any mental disorder which meets the definition provided in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV, but does not include the following (Secs. 2-3):
• Noncompliance with treatment; 
• Partner relational problems;
• Physical or sexual abuse of adults;
• Parent-child relational problems;
• Child neglect;Physical or sexual abuse of a child;
• Sibling relational problems;
• Relational problems related to a mental disorder or general medical condition;
• Occupational problem;
• Academic problems;
• Acculturation problems;
• Relational problems;
• Bereavement;
• Borderline intellectual functioning;
• Phase of life problems;
• Religious or spiritual problems;
• Malingering;
• Adult antisocial behavior;
• Child or adolescent antisocial behavior;
• Anything for which there is not a diagnosis or a condition on Axis I;
• Anything for which there is not a diagnosis on Axis II; and -Nicotine dependence.

• Exempts insurance plans with the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System, unless the Board elects to purchase a plan that provides mental health coverage (Sec. 2).

• Requires health insurers to provide the coverage required by thisAact in its entire service area and in emergency situations (Secs. 2-3).

• Authorizes health insurers to provide the coverage required by this Act through separate specialized health care service plans or mental health plans (Secs. 2-3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires health care service plans to cover the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.

Highlights:

• Requires that health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2011, that provides hospital, medical, or surgical coverage shall provide coverage for the diagnosis and medically necessary treatment of a mental illness of a person of any age, including a child, under the same terms and conditions applied to other medical conditions (Secs. 2 and 3).

• Defines mental illness as a mental disorder defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV, published by the American Psychiatric Association, and includes substance abuse (Secs. 2 and 3).

• Authorizes that a plan or health insurer may provide coverage for all or part of the mental health services required by this section through a separate specialized health care service plan or mental health plan and shall not be required to obtain an additional or specialized license for this purpose (Secs. 2 and 3).

• Specifies that a health care service or health insurer may utilize the following (Secs. 2 & 3):
• Case management;
• Network providers;
• Utilization review techniques;
• Prior authorization
• Copayments; or
• Other cost sharing to provide the required benefits.

Full Bill Text