On February 2, 2010, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury published a joint interim final rule with comment period implementing the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. The statute requires group health insurance plans to provide parity between mental health or substance use disorder benefits and medical/surgical benefits with respect to financial requirements and treatment limitations. The rule is effective April 5, 2010, and applies to group health plans and group health insurance issuers for plan years beginning on or after July 1, 2010.  CMS will accept comments on the rule until May 3, 2010.   A Reed Smith Alert on the new rules is available here.