The bill amends existing laws related to insurance coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services in New Mexico. It introduces a new requirement for insurers, carriers, and health care plans to ensure parity for reimbursement, mandating that they pay or reimburse behavioral and mental health care providers for all medically necessary services they perform, regardless of the provider's designation. This provision aims to eliminate disparities in reimbursement practices and ensure that mental health services are treated equally to other medical services.

Additionally, the bill reinforces existing regulations that prohibit insurers from imposing more restrictive quantitative and non-quantitative treatment limitations on mental health services compared to other medical conditions. The amendments include the insertion of specific language emphasizing the importance of compliance with federal and state laws regarding mental health coverage, thereby enhancing protections for both providers and patients seeking mental health care.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 13-7-32, 59A-23-24, 59A-46-63, 59A-47-58