Arguments Against the Mental Health Parity Act

In recent years, the Democratic Party has expanded its operations on promoting a Mental Health Parity Act in Congress, which holds as its primary proponents senators such as Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Pete Domenici of New Mexico. The Parity Act, if passed, would in essence impose increased government regulation upon insurance firms by mandating identical coverage for patients of "mental illness" as exists for those of conventional ailments.

Yet the subtle implications of this are disastrous for both private enterprise and individual liberties. Certain clauses of this legislation render possible mandatory treatment for individuals with certain forms of "mental illness" as is necessary under a vast number of current health insurance plans covering physical malignancies.

"The resulting conclusion is that adoption of parity legislation would triple the number of Americans receiving psychiatric treatments such as psychiatric drugs, electroconvulsive therapy, forced feeding (for those deemed to have eating disorders), and involuntary commitment. For some opponents of parity legislation, it is precisely these outcomes which are the most frightening." ("The Forensics Quarterly" Vol. 76, No. 1, 2002, p. 22)

Under the disguise of "equal treatment" (of which there will be none under the act in question, contrary to the status quo in which an adult patient may seek assistance provided that he is willing to do so), this proposition amounts to coercion and the tripling of individuals who have been degraded to the position of utter dependence on the state in an area where their consent is judged irrelevant.