HBO producer Susan Froemke of the TV show “Addiction” interviewed Congressman Patrick Kennedy’s policy adviser Mike Zamore recently about a bill before Congress to provide parity in benefits for addiction treatment. The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act amends and updates the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 and hopes to end discriminatory practices in health plans for those with mental illnesses or addiction issues.

If health plan providers do offer mental health benefits, the bill will require the providers to maintain equity in financial requirements, treatment limits and out-of-network coverage plus cover all diseases that members of Congress are provided for under their federal employee health plan.

The bill is being called an “addiction equity” act on the part of substance abuse advocates. HMO’s and other managed healthcare entities have been fighting against legislation like this for years for financial reasons.