What does parity mean?

                    par·i·ty
                                   /ˈperədē/  noun
                                     1. the state or condition of being equal, especially regarding status or pay.... 

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What does a mental health or substance use parity violation look like?

Longer delays.
"I can't get a mental health assessment appointment for 3 months, but I got an appointment for allergy testing in less than 1 week."

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More disconnects.
"As an emergency physician, I can send my patients right to the specialty care they need - EXCEPT  to mental illness or substance use disorder care, because they don't exist."

Extra disruptions.
"My doctor has to call my insurance company every 3 days so I can stay in alcohol treatment. No one ever made my cardiologist prove I still needed cardiac rehab."

How do you compare insurance coverage for mental health and substance use services to medical / surgical services?

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~ Co-pays, deductibles, & lifetime limits - 
   Pretty simple, the numbers match. 
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​~ Nonquantitative Treatment Limits (NQTLs) - 
   More complicated, but just as important! Here are some examples:
   > Finding mental health or substance use disorder care is harder, and getting that care takes longer.
   > There are gaps in care, steps missing, or breaks in the system.
   > Wait times for services are longer for mental health or substance use disorder care. There are fewer providers and
​       choices.
   > There is more paperwork, prior authorization, basically hoops required to get and prove you need care. 

Access
Does your insurance offer you a comparable list of providers and locations for your mental health and substance use needs as it does for your general medical needs?

Delays
Can you get the services you need when and where you need them?  Are you facing gaps and extra wait times for your mental health or substance use disorder needs?

Paperwork
Do you need to get more approvals for mental health and substance use services than for your other medical needs? Are there more hoops to jump through? Does it take longer?