Parity is about fairness. Americans with behavioral health conditions often have more difficulty getting the treatment and services they need when compared to individuals seeking other medical care. Explore parity-related information regarding legislation, statutes, and regulatory actions since the Federal Parity Law was passed in 2008.

North Dakota Parity Law

There are two sections of the state insurance law relevant to parity. There is a section about mental health coverage (26.1-36-9), and there is a section about substance use disorder coverage (26.1-36-8).

It is not possible to link directly to these sections. To find them click here (pdf | Get Adobe® Reader®) and scroll to the respective sections.

Mental Health Coverage

Large employer fully-insured plans and small employer fully-insured plans must cover mental health services. This section requires plans to cover the following each year:

Substance Use Disorder Coverage

Large employer fully-insured plans and small employer fully-insured plans must cover substance use disorder services. This section requires plans to cover the following each year:

Plans can choose to provide coverage for residential treatment, but if they do, they must cover at least 60 days. However, if they cover residential treatment they can then reduce their coverage of inpatient care to 45 days, but they must allow patients to exchange up to 23 days of inpatient care for an additional 46 days of residential treatment.

National Parity Map

View the state parity reports to learn about legislation, regulation, and litigation related to parity implementation

National Parity Map

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Common Violations

In seeking care or services, be aware of the common ways parity rights can be violated.