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The Washington Coalition for Insurance Parity successfully advocated for the end of commercial health insurance discrimination against people living with a mental illness in Washington State.
In 2005, the coalition convinced the Washington State Legislature to enact a comprehensive mental health parity law for large businesses (more than 50 employees), state employees, and enrollees in the state’s Basic Health program. During the 2007 legislative session, the coalition successfully advocated for the expansion of the 2005 parity law to employees of small businesses and the individual insurance market.
Washington State’s mental health parity law now protects two million out of six million residents from insurance discrimination. The remaining four million residents can only be protected by a federal mental health parity law.
The coalition’s success was due in large part to our broad cross-sectional support across the community. The coalition consists of 142 organizations representing advocacy groups; non-profit organizations; hospitals, physicians, nurses, and other health care providers; labor unions; a business association representing 900 businesses; and religious organizations.
We hope you find this site educational. Please visit our publications page for our advocacy materials.
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