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Evaluating State Mental Health and Addiction Parity Statutes: A Technical Report 8 An evidence-based approach to weighting the components of the SCI would reflect the relative impact on outcomes for each of the SCI items. Each question item was weighted equally and assigned a total of 10 points to avoid making unsupported assumptions about the impact of SCI items on outcomes. Table 1. Statutory Coding Instrument Items (full instrument included in Appendix B) 1. Is there statutory language stating that coverage provided for MH/SUD services must be on the same terms and conditions as it is for other medical coverage? 2. Is there statutory language mandating that health insurance/benefit plans cover or offer to cover some or all MH/SUD treatment services? 3. To which types of health insurance/benefit plans do the relevant parity sections of state law apply? 4. Are different types of plans required to cover MH/SUD services in the same way? 5. How are mental health conditions and/or substance use disorders defined in state statutes? 6. Does a state statute expressly require coverage of any of the following MH/SUD benefits in any type of plan (outpatient visits, inpatient days, residential mental health or substance use disorder treatment, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT ), emergency medication without prior authorization)? 7. Does a state statute specify that non-quantitative treatment limitations (NQTL), including but not limited to utilization review and prior authorization, must be comparable to and applied no more stringently than other medical care? 8. Does a state statute require, authorize, or prevent the state insurance department or other relevant state agency to enforce the Federal Parity Law and any relevant federal law, or to issue regulations regarding the Federal Parity Law or any other relevant federal law? 9. Does a state statute require the state insurance department or any other relevant state agency to submit reports about its actions monitoring parity compliance? 10. Does a state statute require health insurance/benefit plans to submit reports demonstrating how they comply with the Federal Parity Law and/or any state parity statutes or regulations?

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