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Dear All, The latest issue of Health Affairs contains the following articles which may be of interest to some of you, they are available free of charge on line via the health affairs web site www.healthaffairs.org Health Affairs Vol 20 No. 4 July 2001 Mental Health The Sunset Of Federal Mental Health Parity P57 Full Parity: Steps Toward Treatment Equity For Mental And Addictive Disorders Free Full Text Kevin D. Hennessy; Howard H. Goldman P.58 - 68 Abstract: The 1996 Mental Health Parity Act requiring equal annual and lifetime dollar limits for mental health benefits is to sunset 30 September 2001. This paper reviews the impact and limitations of both this law and existing state provisions and describes recent research on the actual and projected costs associated with such laws. We contend that full parity provided within the context of managed care not only is possible, but represents a "sequential" rather than a final step toward the broader goal of achieving equity in the treatment of persons with mental and addictive disorders. Toward Full Mental Health Parity And Beyond 68-77 Daniel P. Gitterman; Roland Sturm; Richard M. Scheffler Free Full Text Abstract: The 1996 Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA), which became effective in January 1998, is scheduled to expire in September 2001. This paper examines what the MHPA accomplished and steps toward more comprehensive parity. We explain the strategic and self-reinforcing link of parity with managed behavioral health care and conclude that the current path will be difficult to reverse. The paper ends with a discussion of what might be behind the claims that full parity in mental health benefits is insufficient to achieve true equity and whether additional steps beyond full parity appear realistic or even desirable. PERSPECTIVE: Parity Or Insurance Mandate? The Case For Mental Health Parity In Kansas Sandy Praeger Free Full Text P77-79